The biggest news on streaming film this week (and in quite a while) was the announcement of FilmStruck, a new service featuring the broad library of Turner Classic Movies and the new exclusive streaming home of the Criterion Collection. While the price and launch date haven’t been disclosed yet, we know the service will feature thousands of advertising-free classic and contemporary films from both independent and Hollywood studios, making it an enticing new entry in the crowded streaming game. What’s more, the Criterion library will include additional content such as commentaries—this is a particularly interesting and unique offering for streaming sites and may help bring in the most hardcore film fans. It remains to be seen how special features will be integrated into the service (I recall similar promises when Criterion announced their partnership with Hulu, which will continue until November). There’s certainly a lot of warranted excitement surrounding FilmStruck. If you’re looking for something to stream this weekend, in particular documentaries, check out our recommendations below.

Netflix

Team Foxcatcher (Jon Greenhalgh, 2016)

Netflix’s next journey into the true crime genre, Team Foxcatcher takes a look at the infamous murder of Olympic wrestler David Schultz, previously dramatized by Bennett Miller’s underrated 2012 thriller Foxcatcher. John du Pont is certainly one of the most interesting true crime figures, perhaps even as eccentric as Robert Durst, so there is a deeper psychological study left here which Team Foxcatcher dives into using interviews and archival footage. Like the amazing current run of true crime stories, the film doesn’t need to over-sensationalize the unbelievable true story to make for a compelling character study and horrific recounting of events. And if you are inclined to dig even deeper on the Jon du Pont saga, you can also see the ESPN-produced documentary The Prince of Pennsylvania on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Begin Again (John Carney, 2013)
Democrats (Camilla Nielsson, 2014)
Hellion (Kat Candler, 2014)
Special Correspondents (Series, Season 1)
We Are Twisted Fucking Sister (Andrew Horn, 2014)

Fandor

For All Mankind (Al Reinert, 1989)

Al Reinart’s seminal space documentary For All Mankind has long been a member of the Criterion Collection and is now a highlight of Fandor’s “Criterion Picks”—this week boldly looking at science-fiction. The story of the men who have walked on the moon is much more dedicated to its breathtaking cinematography and philosophical concepts than simple profiles, making For All Mankind one of the most artful documentaries ever made. Other films included in sci-fi extravaganza are Fassbinder’s recently rediscovered World on a Wire, Chris Marker’s incredible short film that inspired 12 Monkeys, La Jetée, Japanese cult film The X from Outer Space, Tarkovsky’s serene Solaris, and more. This wide variety of selections from the popular genre are all available on Fandor until May 8.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
2 Autumns, 3 Winters (Sébastien Betbeder, 2013)
Below Dreams (Garrett Bradley, 2015)
Don’t Play Us Cheap (Melvin Van Peebles, 1973)
Lines of Wellington (Valeria Sarmiento, 2012)
Wake Up and Kill (Carlo Lizzani, 1966)

MUBI

Lessons of Darkness (Werner Herzog, 1992)

Over the past month or so, MUBI has focused on a run of Werner Herzog’s best documentaries, and this week comes one of his most cinematic. With minimal use of voice-over interviews, Lessons of Darkness photographs the oil fields of Kuwait, ravaged by war, in stunning detail. Anyone who knows Herzog’s work knows his complicated relationship with nature, and Lessons of Darkness is one of his most beautiful and devastating meditations. Lessons of Darkness is available on MUBI until May 28. For those who need to catch up on MUBI’s focus on Herzog documentaries, the other films now available are Fata Morgana, Land of Silence and Darkness, Little Dieter Needs to Fly, and Ballad of the Little Soldier—you’ll need to act fast to catch those while they last.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Blue in the Face (Paul Auster & Wayne Wang, 1995)
Fragment 53 (Federico Lodoli & Carlo Gabriele Tribbioli, 2015)
On Football (Sergio Oksman, 2015)
Poet on a Business Trip (Ju Anqi, 2015)
Il Solengo (Alessio Rigo de Righi & Matteo Zoppis, 2015)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Where to Invade Next (Michael Moore, 2015)

With election season ramping up, one of the most politically charged filmmakers working today takes on the concept of “American exceptionalism” with one of his most entertaining and least controversial works. Where to Invade Next uses a simple high concept that allows for Moore to travel through Europe and North Africa and find where countries are doing things right. He breaches a wide variety of political and social issues, from gay rights and gender equality to the prison system and education. The film is a far cry from a consistent and thorough look at these complex concepts, but it is a funny and enjoyable survey. Though it was a moderate success at the box office earlier this year, Where to Invade Next doesn’t seem to have reached the cultural consciousness to the degree of Moore’s other work. Still, it is definitely a film worth seeing, and you can now on iTunes and Video On-Demand.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Backtrack (Michael Petroni, 2015)
Black Sails (Series, Season 3)
Deadpool (Tim Miller, 2016)
Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015)
Son of Saul (László Nemes, 2015)

Years ago, Netflix bolstered their movie library with premium network Starz, which brought many binge-able movies and the excellent series Party Down, among others, to the ever-growing streaming service. Since the partnership between Netlfix and Starz—often considered the afterthought to HBO and Showtime—has ended, Starz has really carved out a niche for itself with original programming with Ash vs. Evil Dead, Outlander, Black Sails, and the upcoming Soderbergh produced The Girlfriend Experience. With this catalog (plus all the mainstream movies that come through), Starz has now launched their own on-demand streaming service.

For $8.99/month you can have access to their programming through an Android or iOS app or on the web. This is another a la carte platform that has increased the palatability of cutting the cable cord and picking out the specific entertainment you want. For all the movies and television new to streaming this week, check out the recommendations from the best streaming services below:

Netflix

Hush (Mike Flanagan, 2016)

A deaf-mute author (Kate Siegel) works away on her new novel in her secluded home when an uninvited guest with a crossbow shows up looking to make her his next victim. That’s all the set-up you’ll need to watch Mike Flanagan’s Hush, the latest film by the director of the underrated Absentia and Oculus (check out our interview with Flanagan and Seigel). Because of the protagonist’s inability to speak or hear, Hush keeps dialogue to an absolute minimum, meaning the majority of its slim, 82-minute runtime is dedicated to keeping the blood pumping as Siegel’s character tries to survive the night. Fans of home invasion thrillers like The Strangers will find plenty to like in Hush, and it should serve as a perfect viewing option on Netflix for anyone wanting to get a good scare this weekend. [C.J.]

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
American Odyssey (Series, Season 1)
The Beauty Inside (Baek Jong-Yeol, 2015)
God’s Pocket (John Slattery, 2014)
The Hallow (Corin Hardy, 2015)
Of Men and War (Laurent Bécue-Renard, 2014)

Fandor

Jules and Jim (François Truffaut, 1962)

In this week’s “Criterion Picks,” Fandor once again takes a look at doomed love with some great classic and international films. Among them is Truffaut’s brilliant dramatic screwball comedy Jules and Jim, featuring a love triangle of sorts. The film stars the effervescent Jeanne Moreau as Catherine, an unobtainable, impulsive woman and her long relationship with the title pair. For Truffaut, this is perhaps his most signature film in the French New Wave—a wild and unpredictable film, delightful all the way. The other Criterion Picks in the series include Black Orpheus, Senso, Children of Paradise, Summer Interlude, and more—all are available until April 17. Also included on Fandor this week is a new Spotlight, full of classic Italian cult films like Killer Cop, Zombie, Black Sunday, and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Animal Project (Ingrid Veninger, 2013)
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (Chris Sullivan, 1994)
Modra (Ingrid Veninger, 2010)
mother mortar, father pestle (Gibbs Chapman, 2013)
Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

MUBI

Mr. X, a Vision of Leos Carax (Tessa Louise-Salomé, 2014)

MUBI is offering a Leos Carax double-feature this week with his international breakout Mauvais Sang coupled with artistic profile doc Mr. X. With interviews with the filmmaker and unseen footage from his life and films from his debut through Holy Motors, the documentary is a nice retrospective on an important world auteur whose run definitely doesn’t seem over—it is unusual to see a retrospective like this before a filmmaker has passed or hung it up, but this feels more than complete enough. A fantastic look into the mind of an enigmatic filmmaker with plenty of footage from his films, Mr. X is a nice primer on Carax with enough unique insight for his fanatics. You can check out this vision of Leos Carax on MUBI until May 3.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Ballad of the Little Soldier (Werner Herzog & Denis Reichle, 1984)
Help Me Eros (Lee Kang-Sheng, 2007)
Mauvais Sang (Leos Carax, 1986)
White Nights on the Pier (Paul Vecchiali, 2014)
A Young Poet (Damien Manivel, 2014)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

The Invitation (Karyn Kusama, 2015)

Available for rent at the same time as its limited theatrical release, The Invitation is a horror-thriller from the director of Girlfight and Jennifer’s Body. The film has received strong reviews on the festival circuit and premiere at South by Southwest 2015 for its slow-burn tension and clever plot. Slowly unfolding over the course of a dinner party, The Invitation involves a man reconnecting with his ex-wife and her new life after she went missing following a tragic event. While this may be a pretty standard mystery or thriller plot set-up, The Invitation is an intense and visceral film from start to finish. One of our favorite horror films we saw in 2015, you should check out The Invitation in theaters or on-demand this weekend.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Boost (Nathan Gabaeff, 2015)
Ip Man 3 (Wilson Yip, 2015)
Joy (David O. Russell, 2015)
The Masked Saint (Warren P. Sonoda, 2016)
Mr. Right (Paco Cabezas, 2015)
Silicon Valley Season 2

A few weeks back, the next big plan for day-and-date home streaming was announced: a service called The Screening Room, which would work with exhibitors and distributors to offer new theatrical releases in the comfort of your own home for a premium price of $50. There have been similar ideas and experiments in the past that ultimately fizzled out, but this one seems to have some steam—big figures in the film industry, such as Peter Jackson, Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, have gotten behind it. According to Deadline Hollywood, The Screening Room will have its first big moment at the upcoming CinemaCon, where it will present to exhibitors. One of the stranger aspects of The Screening Room is the presence of Sean Parker, the man behind Napster and an early investor in Facebook—he isn’t exactly a well-liked figure for many in the entertainment industries, so it might be extra difficult for him to convince the powers-that-be of mutual benefits. Certainly, a $50-per-movie streaming service isn’t ideal for everyone, but it seems to have the best chance of breaking a new aspect for streaming cinema at home.

Netflix

Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)

Recently, film critic Matt Singer wrote a piece for ScreenCrush looking at the strange ways Netflix recommends movies and television when filling their streaming gaps. An interesting realization in his research was how few of the best films of all time are currently available—at the time, only 33 of the top 250 films on IMDb. Classic films are certainly in low supply at Netflix, which makes the release of fantastic film noir Sunset Boulevard quite notable. The film won three Oscars (nominated for 11 in total—it was a big year for All About Eve) and has lived on in the cinematic consciousness as one of the best films about Hollywood. Currently #52 on IMDb’s list, the inclusion of Sunset Boulevard to Netflix alone doesn’t solve the streaming services classic film problem, but it definitely adds a must-watch film for all film lovers. On this note, Netflix has also added Stanley Kubrick double-feature A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey, two other top-250 films, so maybe the message was heard.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (Series, Season 6)
Archer (Series, Season 6)
The Assassin (Hou Hsiao-Hsien, 2015)
Best in Show (Christopher Guest, 2000)
Bob’s Burgers (Series, Season 5)
Breathe (Mélanie Laurent, 2014)
Hard Labor (Marco Dutra & Juliana Rojas, 2011)
Mediterranea (Jonas Carpignano, 2015)
Mountain Men (Cameron Labine, 2014)
The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner, 1987)

Fandor

No Home Movie (Chantal Akerman, 2015)

The same week Chantal Akerman’s final film has its limited theatrical release you are able to stream it on Fandor. No Home Movie is a documentary involving conversations Akerman had with her mother just before the mother’s death. This is a big week to explore the under-appreciated filmmaker with I Don’t Belong Anywhere, a profile of her work, also being released. After Akerman’s own death in October 2015, many film fans discovered or revisited her best work, and now that circle can be closed with her final film. Given her active presence in No Home Movie and the themes of mortality it explores, the film is a particularly resonant one.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas (Elina Psikou, 2014)
Lady Snowblood (Toshiya Fujita, 1973)
Pandora’s Box (G.W. Pabst, 1929)
Sex and Broadcasting (Tim K. Smith, 2016)
We Go Way Back (Lynn Shelton, 2006)

MUBI

The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears (Hélène Cattet & Bruno Forzani, 2013)

Filmmaking duo Cattet and Forzani’s follow up to the amazingly bizarre Italian Giallo throwback Amer shows that they are clearly all-in on their stylish influences. Though it is a bit more narratively focused, the plot of The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears is not the drawing point—the film is a kaleidoscope of insert shorts, close-ups and double images, cut to harsh music and sound effects. It is certainly not for everyone (check out our full review, for instance), but the insane nature of the film showcases auteurs who are making films like no one else today. Anyone with an interest Italian horror flicks should check out The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears on MUBI until April 28.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
GasLand (Josh Fox, 2010)
My Best Fiend (Werner Herzog, 1999)
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (Francesco Barilli, 1974)
Petropolis: Aerial Perspectives on the Alberta Tar Sands (Peter Mettler, 2009)
Prospero’s Books (Peter Greenaway, 1991)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio Da Sica, 1948)

One of the most interesting aspects of iTunes Movies is their partnership with the Criterion Collection. Sure, you have plenty of opportunity to stream their selections on a number of services (like Hulu and Fandor), but the more the merrier—iTunes also allows you to buy the films, so that’s an added benefit. This week, Criterion is releasing Bicycle Thieves, one of the all-time great films. A staple of the Italian Neorealism movement, it’s stark black-and-white cinematography, complicated moral themes, use of non-professional actors, and overall documentary style will keep it in the cinematic conversation as long as we’re seriously studying the art form. Finally released by the Criterion Collection on Blu-ray, you can also rent or buy Bicycle Thieves on-demand through iTunes.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Exposed (Declan Dale, 2016)
Justice League vs. Teen Titans (Sam Liu, 2016)
The Messenger (Su Rynard, 2015)
Of Mind and Music (Richie Adams, 2016)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (J.J. Abrams, 2015)

One of our favorite streaming services, Fandor, reached their 5th birthday this week. To celebrate, they have created a special Spotlight series called “Fandor Essentials,” highlighting the films that most fit the Fandor spirit. Nineteen films are featured, spanning foreign cult films and avant-garde indies, with most of the films available to stream in HD. A few of our favorites include Yorgos Lanthimos’s breakout Dogtooth, Mario Bava’s chamber murder mystery Blood and Black Lace, Werner Herzog’s epic Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Jeff Malmberg’s unforgettable doc Marwencol, and Guy Maddin’s insane The Forbidden Room. Even if you’ve seen all of these, there are undoubtedly others completely off your radar. What better way to revel in the wonders of streaming cinema than by taking in the best on Fandor? For other films new to streaming this week, check out the list below:

Netflix

Batkid Begins (Dana Nachman, 2015)

It’s pretty easy to be cynical about a doc chronicling the highly publicized Make a Wish Batkid project from 2013. For one day, San Francisco was transformed into Gotham City and a six-year-old kid was the only hope to save the estimated 12,000 onlookers from the Penguin, the Riddler and other super villains. The doc meets all the major players and goes through the steps on how they built this incredible event—and you’ll find it tough to keep the smile off your face. There isn’t a lot of heavy substance to Batkid Begins, but it’s a wonderful condensed recap and look at the greater cultural impact. It’s a breezy profile doc entertaining enough to restore your faith in humanity, if only for its runtime. For more on Batkid Begins, check out our full review.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Art of Organized Noize (Quincy Jones III, 2016)
Bombay Velvet (Anurag Kashyap, 2015)
The Forbidden Kingdom (Rob Minkoff, 2008)
The Pearl Button (Patricio Guzmán, 2015)
A Promise (Patrice Leconte, 2013)

Fandor

La haine (Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995)

In this week’s “Criterion Picks,” Fandor takes a look at some beautiful and insightful films tackling one of the most pressing political issues of our time, the immigrant experience. Among the highlighted films is the stylish ’90s French breakthrough, La haine (Hatred). In the lower class suburbs of Paris, the film takes place over a 24-hour span in the immediate time before and after an act of violence and ensuing riot. The main characters’ immigrant status plays a large role in their position and actions they’ve taken, shining a light on the complicated nature of the hot topic. Other films in the series include El Norte, Stromboli, Colossal Youth, Le havre, and more. These films are all available on Fandor for a limited time, until Sunday, April 3.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Discontinuity (Lori Felker, 2016)
Heavenly Pursuits (Charles Gormley, 1986)
Lou! (Julien Neel, 2013)
Potiche (François Ozon, 2010)
Sister (Ursula Meier, 2012)

MUBI

I Used to be Darker (Matthew Porterfield, 2013)

Matthew Porterfield is one of the more interesting independent filmmakers working today, and his 2013 film I Used to be Darker was a definite progression from his previous work, which tended to be very raw aesthetically and in narrative. This film is a simpler character study of a young woman from Northern Ireland who finds herself emotionally lost while living in the Baltimore area and navigating the troubled lives of her family. I Used to be Darker is filled with musical performances that build the emotional resonance of its characters while working outside of the overall narrative. Porterfield’s experience in non-narrative filmmaking really shows off throughout I Used to be Darker, allowing for a simple narrative structure to be subtly infused with much more life. You can stream I Used to be Darker on MUBI until April 22.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Night Train (Diao Yi’nan, 2007)
Oxhide II (Liu Jiayin, 2009)
La Sentinelle (Arnaud Desplechin, 1992)
Something, Anything (Paul Harrill, 2014)
Trainspotting (Danny Boyle, 1996)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

The Revenant (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2015)

Love it or hate it, the 2016 Academy Award winner for Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Actor is one of the most bombastic technical achievements of last year. If you were hesitant to go through the 160-minute trek through the treacherous Western wilderness in theaters, you can now take the dangerous journey in the comfort of you living room on demand. And if you’re still on the fence, check out the epic amount of content on Way Too Indie: our plea for an honorable mention among the year’s best, our praise of Leo DiCaprio’s Oscar-winning performance, our full theatrical review, and a different opinion on the most annoying aspects of the very self-important work of art. Check out the film on iTunes weeks before its release on DVD and Blu-ray, if only to have your own opinion on the critical divide.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
The Forest (Jason Zada, 2016)
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (Ricardo Curtis, 2016)
The Last Treasure Hunt (Patrick Biesemans, 2016)
The Letters (William Riead, 2014)
Riot (John Lyde, 2015)

Netflix’s nostalgia trip hits its next stop today with the release of Pee-wee’s Big Holiday. The cult character returns 25 years after the iconic Pee-wee’s Playhouse, though he has shown up throughout the years in as disparate of entertainments as Top Chef, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Saturday Night Live, and Wrestlemania. Paul Reubens (now 63 years old) puts on the gray suit and red bowtie once again in another adventure outside of his simple 1950s suburban town—this time instead of looking for a lost bicycle, Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike) advises him to live a little on holiday. Judging from the trailer, Pee-wee’s Big Holiday goes just about everywhere, hopefully recapturing what made Tim Burton’s Pee-wee’s Big Adventure so random and fun. Unlike some of Netflix’s other resurrected properties (we’re looking at you Fuller House), Pee-wee is strange enough and self-knowing enough, that I’m not so cynical about it coming back. For all the other films new to streaming services this weekend, check out the recommendations below:

Netflix

The Hunting Ground (Kirby Dick, 2015)

Thought-provoking filmmaker Kirby Dick’s sexual assault documentary The Hunting Ground is so much more than its Best Original Song Oscar loss. A thoroughly researched and emotionally raw, the film looks at institutional cover-ups and general look-the-other-ways of many major colleges and universities that are suffering from a sexual assault problem reaching an epidemic. But unlike so many similar issues movies, The Hunting Ground also highlights a few determined survivors who are working to shine a light on the problem. For Dick, the film follows the equally extraordinary The Invisible War, which focused on the growing problem of rape in the military—an equally ignored social ill. Now on Netflix, The Hunting Ground is a must-watch film from 2015.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
10,000 Saints (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2015)
Daredevil (Series, Season 2)
Finders Keepers (Bryan Carberry & Clay Tweel, 2015)
My Beautiful Broken Brain (Sophie Robinson & Lotje Sodderland, 2014)
Shelter (Paul Bettany, 2014)

Fandor

Harakiri (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962)

In this week’s “Criterion Picks,” Fandor is highlighting unforgettable scores, including Kobayashi’s Japanese samurai epic Harakiri. Though Tôru Takemitsu’s music isn’t generally included in the all-time film scores, it is a masterful use of traditional Japanese instrumentation, its string-heavy sound providing excitement to the contemplative action film. One of the best films of its genre, Harakiri is a jidaigeki film about a ronin without a lord who requests to commit the traditional suicide ritual at the palace. The film stars under-heralded star Tatsuya Nakadai, a favorite of Kurosawa and Kobayashi, in perhaps his career defining role. Also included in the Criterion Picks this week include Satyajit Ray’s The Music Room, visually stunning Mishima, Fellini farce Amarcord, Jarmusch’s Night on Earth, and more. These films are all available on Fandor until March 27.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Beijing Taxi (Miao Wang, 2010)
Kenny (Clayton Jacobson, 2006)
Making Mishima (Kim Hendrickson, 2008)
The Square (Jehane Noujaim, 2013)
We Fun (Matthew Robinson, 2009)

MUBI

Shaolin Soccer (Stephen Chow, 2001)

Will Stephen Chow’s new film The Mermaid setting box-office records in China, his most notable film stateside is now available on MUBI. The mix of kung fu film and sports film was unlike anything else, let alone Chow’s trademark silly humor which adds a solid glue to the genre mash-up. The soccer sequences play out as a mix of The Matrix and a live-action anime, with a breakneck pace and kinetic cinematography usually only seen in its martial arts roots. Now, Chow is something of a known quantity, though he hasn’t had a hit in the U.S. since Shoalin Soccer‘s follow-up, the equally crazy and amazing Kung Fu Hustle. Hopefully The Mermaid is able to find a cult audience outside of China, but until you can see it, it’s a good time to check out the film that launched his career on MUBI until April 12.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
88:88 (Isiah Medina, 2015)
The Great Flood (Bill Morrison, 2012)
The Miner’s Hymns (Bill Morrison, 2011)
Possession (Andrzej Zulawski, 1981)
You and the Night (Yann Gonzalez, 2013)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Anomalisa (Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, 2015)

For his sophomore film Charlie Kaufman teamed up with animator Duke Johnson (Community) for a sad, funny, absurd, wonderful puppet show, Anomalisa. The film follows a emotionally troubled customer service expert as he is shacked up in a Cincinnati hotel to give a seminar to his adoring fans. Completely out-of-touch with reality, the film shows his fractured state by filling every other voice performance (man, woman and child) with Tom Noonan, until Michael meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), whose voice stands out. The three voice actors, including David Thewlis who plays Michael, are all outstandingly superb—Noonan’s monotone and slight variations make the hook fun while JJL delivers so much sympathy and emotional damage with Lisa. Visually, Anomalisa is stunning, with maybe the most realistic puppet animation in cinema history. Altogether, Anomalisa is a complex and rich experience, full of deep thoughts and an offbeat sensibility—the perfect mixture of what makes Kaufman such a fantastic filmmaker.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
The Hateful Eight (Quentin Tarantino, 2015)
The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder, 1945)
The Program (Stephen Frears, 2015)

It seems like we could say this every week, but Netflix has made its biggest acquisition yet. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the streaming service has purchased the rights for Will Smith vehicle, Bright. With David Ayer (End of Watch, Suicide Squad) attached to direct, the film is known to be a gritty cop movie and sci-fi/fantasy mash-up, with human Smith teaming up with orc Joel Edgerton to work a case involving a powerful wand. The film was written by Max Landis, so it is sure to be divisive, if nothing else. After a mega deal with international star Adam Sandler and a number of awards contenders and festival favorites, Netflix has now expanded their original film into the bigger budget action territory. We are probably a long ways away from the release of Bright, but it certainly shows that business is picking up for Netflix. They are showing off their deep pockets, which could keep growing if films like Bright become streaming successes.

Netflix

Victoria (Sebastian Schipper, 2015)

It’s easy to be especially cautious about films that have a unique and specific filmmaking hook—in the case of Sebastian Schipper’s Victoria, it’s the 140 minutes taking place in one shot, a single take. Whenever a gimmick like this is used, you have to wonder if there is anything deeper than the bravura filmmaking, that a competent and entertaining story will unfold, as well. Victoria is the perfect marriage of technical skill, unique filmmaking and rich narrative experience. The truest mark is that Victoria‘s kinetic storytelling would still be compelling without the presentation. It even becomes enhanced by it, as the character and narrative arcs change in real-time while taking cues in the beats of never cutting to something else. An invigorating, purely cinematic adventure, Victoria is now available to stream on Netflix. For a different take on the film, see our TIFF review.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Blue Hour (Anucha Boonyawatana, 2015)
Flaked (Series, Season 1)
The Forbidden Room (Guy Maddin & Evan Johnson, 2015)
Hateship Loveship (Liza Johnson, 2013)
The Returned (Series, Season 1)

Fandor

River of Grass (Kelly Reichardt, 1994)

With Kelly Reichardt’s debut film getting a limited re-release this weekend, Fandor allows a wider audience to check out the nearly unseen indie. Set in the southern Florida Everglades, the film is a mix of comedy and crime with many of the auteur’s narrative and thematic fingerprints. River of Grass debuted at the Sundance Film Festival alongside Clerks and Spanking the Monkey, two other debuts that launched the careers of major filmmakers, but it took Reichardt a little longer to catch on. If you are a fan of Reichardt’s work or ’90s indie film, River of Grass is a must watch. For more on the film, check out our full review.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Boyhood (Keisuke Kinoshita, 1952)
Forbidden Zone (Richard Elfman, 1980)
Les hautes solitudes (Philippe Garrel, 1974)
On the Way to School (Pascal Plisson, 2012)
Ratcatcher (Lynne Ramsay, 1999)

MUBI

Our Nixon (Penny Lane, 2013)

As we are fully in the presidential primary season, MUBI is offering an interesting look at one of the country’s most controversial presidents. Using only archival footage taken from video recorded by Nixon’s aides during the early years of his presidency, Our Nixon delves deep into his personal and political life, revealing perhaps a more complicated character than the one history has remembered. If you were captivated by the way Amy pushed the documentary form, Our Nixon works in a very similar way with a more relevant and tricky profile. And because all of the film’s footage comes from private sources, it has a much more intimate feeling—unique access for any government official, let alone a man who has become either reviled or a punchline over time. You can watch Our Nixon on MUBI until April 9.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
A Band Called Death (Mark Christopher Covino & Jeff Howlett, 2012)
City of God (Fernando Meirelles, 2002)
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (José Padilha, 2010)
Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
Two Drifters (João Pedro Rodrigues, 2005)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Macbeth (Justin Kurzel, 2015)

It may not have been the critical or awards favorite that it projected to be, but there weren’t many more striking films from 2015 than Macbeth. Cold and dark, the film challenges the viewer with difficult Shakespearean dialogue spoken in thick accents, never holding hands through the narrative. It’s the strong look and tone of the film, however, that is likely to captivate. Second-time filmmaker Justin Kurzel (The Snowtown Murders) shows an incredible amount of skill and confidence in making a film with a big cast completely uncompromising, unlike any Shakespeare adaptation you’ve ever seen. Michael Fassbender delivers a chilling performance as the title character, with Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine, David Thewlis and others all doing great, austere work.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Camino (Josh C. Waller, 2015)
Coming Home (Zhang Yimou, 2014)
Daddy’s Home (Sean Anders, 2015)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Francis Lawrence, 2015)
Paris Belongs to Us (Jacques Rivette, 1961)

Sure, we focus on streaming films and television here, but the streaming world encompasses so much more. Music is the biggest media that has embraced streaming, but there’s another interesting art form that’s exploring its possibilities. For those of you who prefer their stories told on a stage in real-time, BroadwayHD is a fantastic source that offers access to see some of the best in drama from your computer screen. It’s a little more pricey than other streaming services ($14.99/month and $169.99/year packages are available), but they also have a VOD service that allows you to see a specific performance for a short time period. The service recently added British play Gypsy, starring Harry Potter alum Imelda Staunton with music by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim. If the stage isn’t your thing, here are the usual film recommendations from us featuring new titles available to stream this week:

Netflix

House of Cards (Series, Season 4)

The most binge-able show on television, the fourth season of the original Netflix original, House of Cards, hits at an incredibly timely moment. As we build up to what should be a very entertaining presidential election season IRL, incumbent Frank Underwood is embroiled in what should be an equally entertaining race. With the third season ending with Claire telling her husband that she is leaving him, Frank’s personal life may be in even greater turmoil. It’s always difficult to know exactly where House of Cards will go, but it’s pretty easy to assume that Underwood will somehow, against all logic, have a successful campaign (sort of seems like a current political figure, right?). If you haven’t already, clear your weekend calendar to streamline the 13-hour political roller as it comes to Netflix this weekend. And if you are somehow lagging behind, you can stream the previous three seasons on Netflix, as well.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Adult Beginners (Ross Katz, 2014)
Amal (Richie Mehta, 2007)
Blade Runner: Theatrical Cut (Ridley Scott, 1982)
Corpse Bride (Tim Burton & Mike Johnson, 2005)
Exam (Stuart Hazeldine, 2009)
The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1973)
Heaven Knows What (Ben & Joshua Safdie, 2014)
The Panic in Needle Park (Jerry Schatzberg, 1971)
Saturday Night Fever (John Badham, 1977)
Taxi (Jafar Panahi, 2015)

Fandor

Playtime (Jacques Tati, 1967)

This week’s “Criterion Picks” focuses on films with great architecture, highlighted by French comedian Jacques Tati’s epic masterpiece. Now, while I wouldn’t recommended seeing Playtime outside of a movie theater, if you haven’t seen this wonderful film you need to seek it out on Fandor. Playtime is a delight of space and physical comedy with Tati’s signature Hulot performance. The film wonderfully fits this theme as Tati built his own huge, modernist structures for the film, which led to a huge budget that threatened production. Its architecture lead to wonderful bits of satirical comedy of bureaucratic and modernist visions. Other films in the Architecture series include Antonioni’s L’eclisse, The Naked City, Antonio Gaudí, Tati’s less ambitious but highly enjoyable Mon oncle, and more. These “Criterion Picks” are available on Fandor until March 13.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Heart of the World (Guy Maddin, 2000)
Journey to Italy (Roberto Rossellini, 1954)
Old Enough (Marisa Silver, 1984)
Ruined Heart (Khavn De La Cruz, 2015)
Things to Come (William Cameron Menzies, 1936)

MUBI

Cinema Paradiso (Guiseppe Tornatore, 1988)

A winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, Guiseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso is a wonderful love letter to filmmaking and film-going, alike. Set in a small Italian village, the film recounts the nostalgia of one man growing up with a fascination for a the local movie theater as he spends his days in the projectionist booth. It’s no secret that movie theaters, especially the old movie houses and independently run, have taken big hits in recent years. This will only continue as streaming films at home becomes more and more popular—so, hey, why don’t you stream Cinema Paradiso this weekend! All joking aside, the film really shines on the importance of cinema and the communal experience of going to the movies, essential things to remember in an increasingly digital age. You can watch Cinema Paradiso on MUBI until March 29.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Be With Me (Eric Khoo, 2005)
Dear Phone (Peter Greenaway, 1976)
Historic Centre (Pedro Costa, Manoel de Oliveira, Aki Kaurismäki & Victor Erice, 2012)
Tsotsi (Gavin Hood, 2005)
A Walk Through H (Peter Greenaway, 1978)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Sunshine Superman (Marah Strauch, 2014)

One of the unheralded documentaries from last year, Sunshine Superman is a riveting profile of BASE jumping innovator Carl Boenish. With incredible footage of his death-defying stunts and an emotional character arc, it is one of the most complete sports documentaries ever made. Even without the archived skydiving and BASE jumping footage, the core relationship between Boenish and his wife Jean is touching and entertaining enough to sustain the film on its own. Debut filmmaker Marah Strauch brings the story together with a lot of narrative energy while patching together 16mm footage, VHS recordings and new talking head interviews. For more on Sunshine Superman check out our full review and interview with director Marah Strauch.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Carol (Todd Haynes, 2015)
Heart of a Dog (Laurie Anderson, 2015)
Flowers (Jon Garaño & Jose Mari Goenaga, 2014)
Ratter (Branden Kramer, 2015)
Sisters (Jason Moore, 2015)

At this point we’ll just assume that you’ve seen all of this year’s Oscar nominated films, even The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (which can be streamed on Amazon Prime), so we can focus on past Best Picture winners available for streaming. While you can rent most of these films on Amazon and other VOD platforms, these are the winners you can check out on Netflix:

Best Picture Winners Streaming on Netflix

Wings (1929)
The Greatest Show on Earth (1953)
Around the World in 80 Days (1957)
Amadeus (1985)
Forrest Gump (1995)
The English Patient (1997)
Shakespeare in Love (1999)
American Beauty (2000)

After bingeing on Oscar history, you should check out these films and television shows new to streaming this week on all the various platforms:

Netflix

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny (Yuen Woo-ping, 2016)

The next big venture in Netflix’s goal of movie domination, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny receives its streaming release at the same time of its theatrical and IMAX release. Unlike Beasts of No Nation, however, this sequel doesn’t have quite the same lofty awards hope—that’s not a big deal as long as Crouching Tiger delivers on the martial arts action we’re expecting. Artful martial arts films have been receiving more and more critical and cult success, starting with the insane popularity of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon through the Raid and Ip Man series and last year’s The Assassin. In the film, Michelle Yeoh returns as the badass Yu Shu Lien, joined by newcomers Donnie Yen and longtime director and fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. We shall see if Sword of Destiny can re-capture of the magic that came before it and continue the martial arts critical momentum, but its release on Netflix is noteworthy regardless.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Bare (Natalia Leite, 2015)
Fuller House (Series, Season 1)
The Summer of Sangaile (Alante Kavaite, 2015)

Fandor

Tricked (Paul Verhoeven, 2012)

Through the 80s and 90s, Paul Verhoeven was one of the most audacious and wonderful filmmakers working—unfortunately, after a few notable flops, he largely disappeared from the cinema, only making two films in his native Netherlands after 2000. His newest film, Tricked, is finally coming to the U.S. with a limited theatrical run with a simultaneous release on streaming service Fandor. The film’s major hook is its unique production, which employed an open source strategy to write its script. Credited screenwriter Kim van Kooten wrote the first few pages, just enough to set the basic premise and introduce a few characters, before turning it over to the public to submit their ideas, plot, and dialogue. From there, Verhoeven and his production team took the best aspects of the submissions to fill out the rest of the film. Tricked takes place at the 50th birthday party of a wealthy businessman as his various affairs begin to come together. Overall, it’s a very funny, bawdy sex comedy that feels more complete than you’d think with its production story. And even though there are dozens of uncredited screenwriters on the film, it keeps its auteur’s provocative voice.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Babette’s Feast (Gabriel Axel, 1987)
Closely Watched Trains (Jirí Menzel, 1966)
Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman, 1982)
The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013)
Z (Costa-Gavras, 1969)

MUBI

The Barbarian Invasions (Denys Arcand, 2003)

MUBI kicks off a run of Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winners with Canadian comedy The Barbarian Invasions. Sequel to Arcand’s The Decline of the American Empire, the film takes place seventeen years later while its characters have grown older, had children, and seen their lifestyles and political leanings change. The film’s lead character, Rémy (Rémy Girard), has been diagnosed with cancer, which leads him to reunite with his estranged son (Stéphane Rousseau). With the backdrop of a struggling economic situation and political strife in Quebec, the characters banter about their philosophies on life and politics, often very humorously. Full of fantastic characters, The Barbarian Invasions is a sharp and funny film that explores life and love. Along with its Oscar win, it was also nominated for its screenplay, which is rare for a foreign language film and highlights how smartly it tackles its topics through its characters. You can stream The Barbarian Invasions on MUBI until March 25.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Fidelity (Andrzej Zulawski, 2000)
Fort Buchanan (Benjamin Crotty, 2014)
Friends for Eternity (Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt, 2011)
The Official Story (Luis Puenzo, 1985)
Sidewalk Stories (Charles Lane, 1989)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

The Nightingale (Philippe Muyl, 2013)

China’s Academy Award submission in 2014, The Nightingale finally comes to the U.S. on iTunes and VOD this week. It is a simple and beautiful story of an elderly man who goes on a journey to a countryside village with his city-ized granddaughter. The film makes takes a sharp look at the differences between the growing urbanization in China and the stunning landscapes outside of its mega-cities. Directed by an outsider, Muyl’s camera absorbs the environments with incredible appreciation, making for a visual feast. Thematically, it explores the disconnect we have with our environment as that becomes less valued—it’s not exactly new thematic ground, but the film’s visual sense and understated narrative work through the themes wonderfully.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
The Affair (Series, Season 2)
The Big Short (Adam McKay, 2015)
Brooklyn (John Crowley, 2015)
Entertainment (Rick Alverson, 2015)
Yosemite (Gabrielle Demeestere, 2015)

We all know the library is a great resource not only for fine literature, but do you know it’s also a great resource for films as well? In some cities, a library card might be all you need for your film entertainment needs. And now residents of Jersey City, New Jersey are able to stream films, music, television and more with nothing more than their library card and an app. With a partnership between the Jersey City Free Public Library and hoopla digital, patrons can stream films like The Assassin, Silver Linings Playbook, television shows like The Addams Family, and a number of e-books, comics and albums. While the library may not be able to compete with Netflix, Hulu or other paid streaming services, it definitely makes this overlooked resource worth checking out. For all the films and television new to streaming this week, check out the recommendations below:

Netflix

Cooked (Series, Season 1)

Food docs have become a staple of Netflix, with such offerings as Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Somm, and the wonderful Netflix original series Chef’s Table all available. Their newest series, Cooked, produced by Alex Gibney and author Michael Pollan, is a four-part miniseries that looks specifically at how people around the world prepare food. Breaking up the episodes by “Fire,” “Air,” “Water” and “Earth,” the series spans the globe from Peru to Australia to Berkeley, California. No doubt, Cooked will provide insight into the growing philosophy around food while offering a lot of mouth-watering moments.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Asthma (Jake Hoffman, 2015)
Atonement (Joe Wright, 2007)
Love (Series, Season 1)
The Returned (Series, Season 2)
XXY (Lucía Puenzo, 2007)

Fandor

Diabolique (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1955)

This week’s “Criterion Picks” takes a look at the best films inspired by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Highlighted among the Hitchcockian thrillers is Clouzot’s Diabolique, one of the most terrifying slow-burn films in all of French cinema. The film stars Clouzot’s wife Vera as a school teacher who teams up with her husband’s mistress to knock him off—but there may be a different plan at hand. Full of twists and mystery, Diabolique is often talked about as a direct inspiration for Hitchcock’s great horror film Psycho. Other films in collection include Purple Noon, The Vanishing, The Soft Skin, Sisters, and more. These great thrillers are only available on Fandor until February 28.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Diamond Tongues (Pavan Moondi & Brian Robertson, 2015)
The Horse Boy (Michel Orion Scott, 2009)
Identity Crisis (Melvin Van Peebles, 1989)
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (Melvin Van Peebles, 1971)
Tabu (F.W. Murnau, 1931)

MUBI

Amélie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)

The French film gateway for many millennials, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s fantastic and whimsical love story is a unique experience. One of the greatest examples of film production and design, its meticulously staged frames are incredibly tactile, providing for a visual feast. It also boasts one of the most creative and fun opening title sequences ever, setting up the film’s visual wit immediately. Since its release, Jeunet has only made three feature films and none have left the cultural footprint of his breakout film—though Amélie most likely opened up his fantastic Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children to wider audiences wanting more of his signature style. Amélie can be streamed on MUBI until March 15.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
The Crying Game (Neil Jordan, 1992)
The Falls (Peter Greenaway, 1980)
The Little Foxes (William Wyler, 1941)
Of Mice and Men (Lewis Milestone, 1939)
The Unity of All Things (Alexander Carver & Daniel Schmidt, 2013)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Togetherness (Series, Season 1)

With the HBO series’ second season debuting this weekend, a binge session is in order. Created by the Duplass Brothers and their frequent collaborator Steve Zissis, Togetherness stars Duplass (Mark, in this case), Melanie Lynskey, Zissis and Amanda Peet as couples navigating their romantic and working lives. Zissis is particularly good as a schlubby, struggling actor, trying to get his life together with a potential big break within reach. Its slightly offbeat humor and sharp character and relationship exploration make for a richly emotional watch. And with an incredible cliff-hanger in the final moments of its season 1 finale, you’re going to keep watching through season 2. Togetherness is now available for rent or purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other VOD services and to stream on HBO Now.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Broad City (Series, Season 3)
Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2015)
Miss You Already (Catherine Hardwicke, 2015)
Room (Lenny Abrahamson, 2015)
Youth (Paolo Sorrentino, 2015)

Can we all agree that as far as holidays go, Valentine’s Day is pretty bogus? The day is designed to sell candy and cards and set up unhealthy expectations for the single folks, making it more cynical than romantic. Luckily, Netflix offers a variety of films and television series catered to both the romantic and the cynical. If you are lucky enough to share the evening with a special someone, Pride & Prejudice (Joe Wright, 2005), Beginners (Mike Mills, 2010), Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001), and Notting Hill (Roger Michell, 1999) are great options to snuggle up over. For those a little more jaded by romantic experiences, harder edge, love stories like Blue Is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche, 2013), Laurence Anyways (Xavier Dolan, 2012), The One I Love (Charlie McDowell, 2014), and Love (Gaspar Noé, 2015) are also available on the streaming service. So, no matter your feelings on Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of visions of love on film for you to see this weekend. And for other new films and television new to streaming this week, check out the recommendations below:

Netflix

Dope (Rick Famuyiwa, 2015)

Somewhat lost in the shuffle of diverse film offerings from 2015 (despite being a huge hit during the festival circuit), Dope is a fast-paced and endearing throw-back to the early 90s hip-hop culture. In the film, a group of three inner-city high school friends get wrapped up in the drug trade while facing pressures brought on by their identity, community and social expectations. Shameik Moore (who will soon star in the Baz Luhrmann Netflix series The Get Down) gives a great breakthrough performance as Malcolm, a nerdy but charming kid at the center of the story. Director Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood, Our Family Wedding) brings a passionate, clear voice to the film that will continue to resonate as issues related to race and identity become more and more complicated. You can check out our full review of this “Must See Indie”.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Bates Motel (Series, Season 3)
Black Souls (Francesco Munzi, 2014)
Brotherly Love (Jamal Hill, 2015)
The Girl in the Book (Marya Cohn, 2015)
The Railway Man (Jonathan Teplitzky, 2013)

Fandor

The Harder They Come (Perry Henzell, 1972)

Seminal reggae musical The Harder They Come has long been difficult to see—it isn’t available on any streaming service and would show up in the “Saved” section of your Netflix DVD queue. The film stars Jimmy Cliff as Ivanhoe Martin, a struggling musician in Kingston who gets wrapped up in drugs and crime. Heralded for its soundtrack, which placed on Rolling Stone magazine’s Top Albums of All-Time list, the music largely opened up reggae and Caribbean music to world-wide audiences, paving the way for figures like Bob Marley to reach prominence. Also new to Fandor this week are its “Criterion Picks”, featuring great French romances of forbidden love, just in time for Valentine’s day.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Cult of JT LeRoy (Marjorie Sturm, 2014)
The Earrings of Madame de… (Max Ophuls, 1953)
L’inhumaine (Marcel L’Herbier, 1924)
The Lovers (Louis Malle, 1958)
The Soft Skin (François Truffaut, 1964)

MUBI

The Aviator (Martin Scorsese, 2004)

With Leonardo DiCaprio the odds-on favorite to win his first Academy Award this year, it’s a good time to revisit one of his highest profile roles (for which he lost out on the statue to Jamie Foxx in Ray—not sure how that would play out if they ran that race again). DiCaprio’s portrayal of the reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes is a sprawling epic, nearly three hours long, spanning more than 20 years. Overall, The Aviator won 5 Oscars, including for Cinematography and Editing, as well as Cate Blanchett’s supporting role as famed Hollywood actress Katharine Hepburn. You can check out Scorsese’s wonderful biopic on MUBI until March 12.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
The Draughtsman’s Contract (Peter Greenaway, 1982)
The Girl on the Train (André Téchiné, 2009)
Ne Change Rein (Pedro Costa, 2005)
Sweetgrass (Ilisa Barbash & Lucien Castaing-Taylor, 2009)
Who’s Camus Anyway (Mitsuo Yanagimachi, 2005)

iTunes and Video On-Demand

The Peanuts Movie (Steve Martino, 2015)

One of the great animated entertainments to come out this year was The Peanuts Movie, a nostalgic updating of the beloved classic comic strip. Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the rest of the gang are featured in an original story with plenty of reverence to its source material and through stunning computer-generated animation. The film tells two companion stories: one featuring the Little Red-Haired Girl who moves into the neighborhood, immediately capturing the attention of the lovable worrier Charlie Brown, and a fantastical side story with Snoopy and his sworn enemy the Red Barron. The Peanuts Movie is now available to rent or own on iTunes and other VOD platforms.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
99 Homes (Ramin Bahrani, 2014)
Freaks of Nature (Robbie Pickering, 2015)
Grandma (Paul Weitz, 2015)
The Leftovers (Series, Season 2)
The Night Before (Jonathan Levine, 2015)

Just as American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson once again sparks America’s love for true crime stories, streaming service SundanceNow Doc Club offers a number of documentaries in their “True Crime Collection.” Highlighted by the seminal ten-part series The Staircase, the collection includes many other classics of the subgenre, along with a few less seen gems. Other films include Errol Morris’ The Thin Blue Line, Werner Herzog’s Into the Abyss, Brother’s Keeper, Murder on a Sunday Morning, Aileen Wuornos double-feature Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer and Aileen: The Selling of a Serial Killer, and more. To see all of these great true crime docs and dozens of other fantastic documentaries, you can join the SundanceNow Doc Club for $4.99 per month on an annual subscription. For all the other TV and films new to streaming this week, check out the selections below:

Netflix

A Picture of You (J.P. Chan, 2013)

New York-based filmmaker J.P. Chan takes family drama to unexpected places with A Picture of You, a mischievous, sleek-looking movie about estranged siblings (Andrew Pang and Jo Mei) who return to their childhood home to sort through their recently-deceased mother’s belongings. They’ve got heaps of emotional baggage to unpack between them, but there’s something their mother’s hidden away that will change their memory of her forever. Warm nostalgia is broken to pieces in a delightful, funny, and outrageously surprising way in this terrific debut, which you’d be cheating yourself to miss. [Bernard]

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Better Call Saul (Series, Season 1)
Charlie’s Country (Rolf de Heer, 2013)
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda, 2015)
A Faster Horse (David Gelb, 2015)
The Fury (Brian De Palma, 1978)
I Love You Phillip Morris (Glenn Ficarra & John Requa, 2009)
Intolerable Cruelty (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2003)
Love (Gaspar Noe, 2015)
Stranger by the Lake (Alain Guiraudie, 2013)
Tokyo Tribe (Shion Sono, 2014)

Fandor

Arabian Nights Trilogy (Miguel Gomes, 2015)

Among the highest regarded films of 2015, Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes’ Arabian Nights trilogy is now available for wide consumption in the U.S. on Fandor. The three films use One Thousand and One Nights as an inspiration while telling a collection of stories concerning modern day Portugal. The second film in the series, The Desolate One, has become the highlight as it garnered the official selection for its country for Academy Award consideration, though it was not nominated. With all three films available now, there’s no excuse for film lovers to fill out their 2015 blind spots. Fandor’s other films available this week include the Criterion Picks topic “Mid-Century Cool” and a new Spotlight series called “Love Gone Wrong,” just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Bay of Angels (Jacques Demy, 1963)
Elevator to the Gallows (Louis Malle, 1957)
Pale Flower (Masahiro Shinoda, 1964)
Picture of Light (Peter Mettler, 1994)
Prodigal Sons (Kimberly Reed, 2009)

MUBI

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (Peter Greenaway, 1989)

MUBI is kicking off a retrospective of arthouse filmmaker Peter Greenaway with his most iconic and controversial film, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover. Long difficult to see, in part due to its dreaded NC-17 rating, the film has built up cult status among film fans for its strange mix of the crude and the beautiful. It’s lavish sets and use of color provide a striking look to the film, while the narrative frankly explores themes of sex and violence in sometimes shocking ways. The film sports a terrific cast of veteran British actors including Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Tim Roth and Alan Howard. Greenaway has gone on to a fine career, including his latest release Eisenstein in Guanajuato (which hopefully will be a part of MUBI’s retrospective), but The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is unquestionably the filmmaker’s masterpiece. It is available on MUBI until March 5.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Adventureland (Greg Mottola, 2009)
America (Valérie Massadian, 2013)
Hoop Dreams (Steve James, 1994)
French Blood (Diastème, 2015)
Nana (Valérie Massadian, 2011)

iTunes & Video On-Demand

Ash vs. Evil Dead (Series, Season 1)

One of the most beloved and bizarre horror franchises, The Evil Dead spawned a new chapter in a new medium this year with Ash vs. Evil Dead. The ten episode first season recently wrapped up on premium cable network Starz to rapturous approval from both critics and hardcore fans of the film series. The show sets cult hero icon Ashley J. Williams (Bruce Campbell) in modern-day Michigan with the Deadite threat long behind him. That is until the mystical evil is once again released. The series nails the bloody fun of the films, with a great lead performance and possibly more gore than any other series in the history of television. Picked up for a second season, if you don’t have Starz or just missed the show, you can now catch up on iTunes and other VOD services.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg, 2015)
Hellions (Bruce McDonald, 2015)
Man Up (Ben Palmer, 2015)
Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015)
Steve Jobs (Danny Boyle, 2015)

Internet streaming has resurrected well-loved television series, racked up trophies during awards season, and has become a powerhouse in the Sundance acquisition game. Now, HBO Go and HBO Now are entering into a new wrinkle of streaming by releasing The Godfather Epic, a 7-and-a-half hour, chronologically re-sequenced edit of the first two Godfather films. Netflix has dabbled in releasing director’s cuts of films like World War Z and The Act of Killing, but this is on a whole different level, given the size and audacity of the project. Perhaps for some this is a sign of streaming using too much power and actively damaging to the film. There is no doubt, however, that the release proves the flexibility of streaming—The Godfather Epic simply couldn’t have the reach or impact in theaters or on cable television. If you don’t have time for a 424 minutes free this weekend, here are plenty of other great options new to streaming this week:

Netflix

Chelsea Does (Series, Season 1)

It feels like forever ago when Netflix announced a deal with popular comedian and former talk show host Chelsea Handler. While Netflix has featured Handler in a recent comedy special, the ultimate fruit of their partnership in now here. Chelsea Does is a four-part documentary series with the versatile personality taking on a number of topics, including racism and marriage. Handler’s unique voice should certainly work well in this open format and it’ll be interesting to see exactly where it goes. The small number of episodes is an interesting break from the regular cable television model as well, something that Netflix still struggles with at times. In any case, Chelsea Does should be a perfectly bite-sized, inherently bingeable piece of entertainment.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Cartel Land (Matthew Heineman, 2015)
The Cut (Fatih Akin, 2014)
Drone (Tonje Hessen Schei, 2014)
Misunderstood (Asia Argento, 2014)
Serenity (Joss Whedon, 2005)

Fandor

The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa, 1958)

This week’s “Criterion Picks” cover classic films that received non-direct remakes. As Star Wars: The Force Awakens nears 2 billion dollars worldwide (it will be the third film to do so if it happens), it’s a great time to check out what is known to be a major influence on the popular franchise. Kurosawa has made more legendary films, but considering its connection to Star Wars and George Lucas, it might be his most culturally important. The Hidden Fortress follows two peasants (the inspiration for C-3P0 and R2-D2) who help transport a disguised princess out of a war zone. The film is absolutely full of adventure, action and comedy, making it one of Kurosawa’s most approachable films. Other selections available in “Before the Remake” include The Virgin Spring (influenced The Last House on the Left), The Wages of Fear (influenced Sorcerer), Seven Samurai (influenced The Magnificent Seven), and more. These picks are available until January 31.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Actress (Robert Greene, 2014)
Hannah Arendt (Margarethe von Trotta, 2012)
La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1960)
Walden (Jonas Mekas, 1969)
Western (Bill Ross IV & Turner Ross, 2015)

MUBI

The Oath (Laura Poitras, 2010)

Documentarian Laura Poitras jumped into the spotlight with her Oscar winning film Citizenfour, but she had previously made two powerful docs that are now available on MUBI. Following her Oscar nominated look at the war in Iraq, My Country, My Country, The Oath profiles two men with connections to Osama bin Laden who are detained by the U.S. government following 9/11. Poitras’ journalistic eye digs into the rhetoric around al-Qaeda and the war on terror while also existing as a powerful character study. Along with Poitras, the film was produced by Joshua Oppenheimer of The Act of Killing. With that pedigree behind The Oath, it is remarkably under-seen. You can change that for yourself on MUBI until February 19.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Golden Door (Emanuele Crialese, 2006)
It Felt Like Love (Eliza Hittman, 2013)
Jealousy (Philippe Garrel, 2013)
My Country, My Country (Laura Poitras, 2006)
They Made Me a Fugitive (Alberto Cavalcanti, 1947)

Video On-Demand

Taxi (Jafar Panahi, 2015)

For obvious reasons, there isn’t a more interesting filmmaker working today than Jafar Panahi. A political activist in his home country of Iran, he received a 20-year ban from making movies by the government in 2010—since then, he has released three films. Already one of the great Iranian filmmakers, Panahi’s legal limitations have given him a career resurgence and a sharper voice. In Taxi, Pahani plays a version of himself that has become a cab driver during his filmmaking banishment. As he picks up and drops off his patrons, a number of political and social topics are explored through their conversations. Its stripped down, docu-drama style was perhaps Panahi’s only option, but the results are no less potent. Taxi (also referred to as Jafar Panahi’s Taxi and Taxi Tehran) is now available to rent or own on iTunes and other VOD platforms.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Diary of a Teenage Girl (Marielle Heller, 2015)
Mojave (William Monahan, 2015)
Spectre (Sam Mendes, 2015)
Straight Outta Compton (F. Gary Gray, 2015)
Woodlawn (Andrew Erwin & Jon Erwin, 2015)

With the Oscar nominations now upon us (see the complete list of nominees), the countdown to see all the nominees is officially on! While most of the Best Picture and big awards contenders are still in theaters or only available on DVD, you can stream many of the potential winners. If you don’t mind paying a few bucks, you can see The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, Straight Outta Compton, Sicario, Amy, Cartel Land, The Look of Silence, Racing Extinction, Inside Out, and The Hunting Ground on various Video On-Demand services.

Here are the Oscar nominees you can watch right now on their noted streaming services:

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (Makeup and Hairstyling) – Amazon Prime
Ex Machina (Original Screenplay, Visual Effects) – Amazon Prime
Fifty Shades of Grey (Original Song) – HBO Now
What Happened, Miss Simone? (Documentary) – Netflix
Winter on Fire (Documentary) – Netflix
World of Tomorrow (Animated Short) – Netflix
Youth (Original Song) – Hulu Plus

Or if you are boycotting the Oscars for any one of a million reasons, here are other some other selections new to streaming this weekend for you to check out:

Netflix

Meet the Patels (Geeta Patel & Ravi Patel, 2014)

You’ve probably seen Ravi Patel in a number of movies and television—he’s had notable roles in Transformers, Master of None, Grandfathered and small guest starring roles in many others. In Meet the Patels the actor jumps behind the camera while also being profiled in this documentary about cultural relationships in the technology age. The doc humorously explores Patel’s family and their quest to find him a bride, using both traditional Indian customs and more updated means. The film is lighthearted and funny, but also provides a great look into our cultural differences and the difficulty in finding a successful relationship. We listed it as one of the best documentaries of the year, and you can now stream it on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
In the Basement (Ulrich Seidl, 2014)
The Ladykillers (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2004)
Occupied (Series, Season 1)
The Overnight (Patrick Brice, 2015)
Parks and Recreation (Series, Season 7)

Fandor

House (Nobuhiko Ôbayashi, 1977)

For something on the crazier side of cinema, Ôbayashi’s House (not to be confused with the 80’s American horror franchise) is one of the great haunted house films ever. Seven girls on a summer trip visit the title house, only to be killed and consumed in a number of increasingly bizarre ways—as only the Japanese could conceive. A balance of the creepy, crazy and campy, House has become a cult classic. The film is presented on Fandor as part of their “Criterion Picks” section, this week taking a look at some of the finest felines in the cinema—and, oh yes, is that true for House. Other selections include The Spirit of the Beehive, Kuronenko and Grey Gardens. You can check out these Criterion Picks until January 24.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
L’Atalante (Jean Vigo, 1934)
Barbara (Christian Petzold, 2012)
Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren & Alexander Hammid, 1943)
Red Hollywood (Thom Andersen & Noel Burch, 1996)
Sans soleil (Chris Marker, 1983)

MUBI

The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology (Sophie Fiennes, 2012)

Following Sophie Fiennes’ (sister of Joseph and Ralph) The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema comes another intellectual look at films which explores how we think and act. The documentary is presented by ultra-serious Slovene philosopher Slavoj Žižek, who dissects a number of popular film clips. The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology is a serious film for serious film fans, but isn’t always as dry as you would expect, mostly due to Fiennes’ direction and often her placement of Žižek. Those who enjoy Thom Andersen’s visual essays on cinema should certainly check this one out. Among the films discussed in the doc are Triumph of the Will, Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, Jaws, and Titanic. You can watch the film on MUBI until February 10.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Hawaii, Oslo (Erik Poppe, 2004)
In a Glass Cage (gustí Villaronga, 1986)
Little Big Soldier (Sheng Ding, 2010)
Madeinusa (Claudia Llosa, 2006)
Psychohydrography (Peter Bo Rappmund, 2010)

Video On-Demand

The Martian (Ridley Scott, 2015)

One of the many big winners on Oscar nominations day, The Martian, received nominations in Best Picture, Best Actor (Matt Damon), Best Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. While it might not be a favorite in any of those given categories, the number of nominations (third most behind The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road) shows it to be one of the year’s best. And it’s not just Oscar love as the film won Best Film and Best Actor in the Musical/Comedy cattery at last week’s Golden Globes ceremony. Ridley Scott’s critical comeback is a massive, powerful epic about the power of science and the human spirit. If you didn’t catch The Martian in theaters, now is as good a time as any with it hitting VOD concurrent to its DVD and Blu-ray release.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Hotel Transylvania 2 (Genndy Tartakovsky, 2015)
Irrational Man (Woody Allen, 2015)
Love & Mercy (Bill Pohlad, 2014)
Moonwalkers (Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, 2015)
Sinister 2 (Ciarán Foy, 2015)

On Wednesday Netflix gave their keynote address at the 2016 CES Conference, highlighting their successes, world-wide expansion, and giving a little look into the future of the brand’s ever-growing content. The biggest news that came from it was certainly the confession that Adam Sandler’s The Ridiculous Six has become Netflix’s most watched film (in its first 30 days). For those of us looking for news that doesn’t kill our faith in humanity, the service gave us first-looks at two upcoming highly anticipated series: The Crown, starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith as a young Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and The Get Down, a look at The Bronx in the 70s starring Shameik Moore (Dope) and created by Baz Luhrman.

On the business/global domination side, Netflix also announced that they are now open in 130 more countries, bringing their total over 190. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of this is Netflix’s unique business model allowing for all countries to enjoy their original content at the same time, which may decrease internet piracy and lead to a more global watching platform. For all the titles new to streaming this weekend, check out below (some titles may not be available in Turkey, New Zealand, Russia, Poland, etc.):

Netflix

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

(Series, Season 10)

With the 11th season of the travails of Mac, Charlie, and the gang now playing on your TV screens, its previous season is now available on Netflix. Way back in 2005, no one could have guessed It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia would still be kicking 11 years later, and it’s as sharp and irreverent as ever. Highlights of the 10 season include: “The Gang Goes on Family Night,” where the gang appears on a nationally televised game show hosted by Keegan-Michael Key, “The Gang Beats Boggs,” with a cameo from baseball legend Wade Boggs, “The Gang Group Dates,” and the one-shot episode “Charlie Work.” And if you’re not caught up with the show, you can stream the first nine seasons, as well. Or you could just put “The Nightman Cometh” on a continuous loop.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Across the Universe (Julie Taymor, 2007)
Je suis Charlie (Daniel Leconte & Emmanuel Leconte, 2015)
New Girl (Series, Season 4)
Pumping Iron (George Butler & Robert Fiore, 1977)
Training Day (Antoine Fuqua, 2001)

Fandor

Amarcord (Federico Fellini, 1973)

In this week’s “Criterion Picks,” Fandor is offering the best work of brilliant composer Nino Rota. One of Rota’s most frequent collaborators, Italian master auteur Federico Fellini, is particularly included with five of his films. Amarcord, the filmmaker’s love letter to his small seaside town, is perhaps his most underrated film. The film best marries Fellini’s two most important movements, the neorealism and the bawdy fantasy. It also might be his funniest film, including the incredible family dinner scene where the father figure feigns suicide by attempting to rip apart his own jaw. Also included are I vitelloni, Juliet of the Spirits and non-Fellini films Le notti bianche and Purple Noon. This Criterion Picks collection is available until January 17.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Blue Angel (Josef von Sternberg, 1930)
Circo (Aaron Schock, 2011)
Diary of a Lost Girl (G.W. Pabst, 1929)
Foolish Wives (Erich von Stroheim, 1922)
Ten (Abbas Kiarostami, 2002)
What Now? Remind Me (Joaquim Pinto, 2013)

MUBI

Poison (Todd Haynes, 1991)

To open the new year, MUBI brought us seven underseen film debuts from major filmmakers. With Todd Haynes’s Carol now in theaters and garnering fantastic reviews (including ours), there isn’t a better time to check out his humble beginnings. Inspired by the works of Jean Genet, Poison explores sexuality through three inter-connected stories and a number of filmmaking techniques. Though it isn’t as well known as Haynes’s later work (Safe, Far from Heaven, I’m Not There.), it won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival during its debut—at a time when the Sundance Film Festival was a breeding ground for some of the world’s best future indie filmmakers. Poison is available on MUBI until February 1.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
As Tears Go By (Wong Kar-Wai, 1988)
Fear and Desire (Stanley Kubrick, 1953)
L’Immortelle (Alaine Robbe-Grillet, 1963)
Sebastiane (Derek Jarman & Paul Humfress, 1976)
Shopping (Paul W.S. Anderson, 1994)

Video On-Demand

Sicario (Denis Villeneuve, 2015)

One of our favorite films from 2015 (#6 on our list), Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario is a brutal and breathtaking look at the war on drugs and cartel violence. Despite zero Golden Globe nominations, it remains an Oscar hopeful in a wide-open crowd—its nomination in the Producers Guild Awards gives it a glimmer of hope. Aside from the Best Picture discussion, Sicario‘s best shot at nominations come in Cinematography (is this finally Roger Deakin’s year?) and Supporting Actor for Benicio del Toro (certainly, he’s one of our favorites). The near-complete fall off in awards consideration is strange but not surprising given the film’s dark subject matter. It may not be a darling come Oscar time, but it is well worth watching now available on DVD, Blu-ray and On Demand through all your streaming rental outlets.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Captive (Jerry Jameson, 2015)
Hell and Back (Tom Gianas & Ross Shuman, 2015)
Infinitely Polar Bear (Maya Forbes, 2014)
The Keeping Room (Daniel Barber, 2014)
The Walk (Robert Zemeckis, 2015)

Forget the family, the presents, etc… one of the best things about the holidays is the great holiday themed episodes of all our favorite shows. And thanks to the power of streaming, there are tons of hours of Christmas and Hanukkah television specials to stream right now. Here’s a quick and dirty guide for some of the best available on Netflix:

Best Holiday TV Specials on Netflix

30 Rock, “Ludachristmas” (S2 E9)
Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight” (S2 E6)
Cheers, “Christmas Cheers” (S6 E12)
Doctor Who “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe” (S7 E0)
Friends, “The One with the Holiday Armadillo” (S7 E10)
Futurama, “Xmas Story” (S2 E8)
How I Met Your Mother, “How Lily Stole Christmas” (S2 E11)
The Inbetweeners, “Xmas Party” (S1 E6)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, “A Very Sunny Christmas” (S6 E13)
The League, “Kegel the Elf” (S2 E12)
Lost, “The Constant” (S4 E5)
Louie, “New Year’s Eve” (S3 E13)
Mad Men, “Christmas Comes But Once a Year” (S4 E2)
The Office (US), “A Benihana Christmas” (S3 E10)
The Office (UK), “Christmas Special”
Parks and Recreation, “Christmas Scandal” (S2 E12)
The Twilight Zone, “Night of the Meek” (S2 E11)
The West Wing, “In Exelsis Deo” (S1 E10)
The Wonder Years, “Christmas” (S2 E3)
The X-Files, “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” (S6 E6)

And for all the new-to-streaming suggestions to check out this weekend before you’re in all-holiday mode, check out our picks below:

Netflix

Time Out of Mind (Oren Moverman, 2014)

In a crowded year-end film landscape, very good films with award aspiration are always going to fall off the map. Oren Moverman’s Time Out of Mind seems to be one this year. The New York City drama stars Richard Gere as a man recently homeless and widowed as he tries to navigate the difficult conditions and the city’s complicated process while trying to reconnect with his adult daughter. In three films, Moverman (The Messenger, Rampart) has shown no hesitance to bring heavily dramatic work to the screen, and he employs a very interesting perspective to Time Out of Mind in the way he shoots Gere on the cold streets. The former A-lister doesn’t totally blend into the role, but it is a shockingly different look for him. Veteran actor Ben Vereen is great in a supporting role as a fellow homeless man more entrenched in the system. In hopes of not being completely neglected (perhaps like it’s subject), you can stream Time Out of Mind now on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Helix (Series, Season 2)
Fresh Dressed (Sacha Jenkins, 2015)
Make Believe (Clay Tweel, 2010)
Slow Learners (Don Argott & Sheena M. Joyce, 2015)
Theresa Is a Mother (C. Fraser Press & Darren Press, 2012)

Fandor

Le million (René Clair, 1931)

The early sound period is one of my absolute favorites and French auteur René Clair is one of the great masters of the period. Clair is probably best known for À Nous la Liberté, the musical that is shockingly similar to Chaplin’s Modern Times, but Le million is every bit as wonderful. Considering that The Jazz Singer happened only four years previously and silent films were still being near 1931, Le million‘s breadth in use of sound is pretty extraordinary. For its plot, the film is a madcap comedy about a man racing across Paris to recover his jacket that includes a winning lottery ticket in the pocket. It is a light, fast-paced, and music-packed flick unrivaled in its time. You can see Le million as part of Fandor’s “Criterion Picks” until December 27.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Alice in the Cities (Wim Wenders, 1974)
Babette’s Feast (Gabriel Axel, 1987)
A Hard Day (Kim Seong-hoon, 2014)
Speedy (Ted Wilde, 1928)
Zazie dans le métro (Louis Malle, 1960)

MUBI

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003-2004)

In hot anticipation of Tarantino’s upcoming release of The Hateful Eight, this is a perfect time to re-watch his mixed-genre double-feature masterpiece Kill Bill. By 2003, the mercurial filmmaker had already made a name for himself, but Kill Bill was perhaps the first clear look at what kind of innovator he is. Originally conceived as one four-hour film, it was eventually broken up to make for a more traditional release—in a way, this foretold the studio mentality of breaking one whole story into different parts. The quality of Kill Bill wasn’t affected, though, even as many may prefer to take in both volumes at once. Full of vibrant characters, a very cool martial arts throwback plot, and a number of stunning action sequences, its legacy lives on as its creator continues to push the cinematic envelope.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
In the Fog (Sergei Loznitsa, 2012)
Le Pont du Nord (Jacques Rivette, 1981)
Tabu (Miguel Gomes, 2012)
Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (F.W. Murnau, 1931)

Video On-Demand

The Visit (M. Night Shyamalan, 2015)

As you spend time with your family this holiday season, keep in mind that it could be worse—as is evident in faux-doc horror film The Visit. Hailed as M. Night Shyamalan’s return to quality filmmaking, the film is a thoroughly satisfying thriller with a few genuinely scary sequences. There may be plot details that don’t quite hold up and the inevitable twists may not exactly be any grand revelation, but this is no doubt the work of a very talented filmmaker who is looking to use the horror subgenre in creative ways. Of special note is Chicago stage actress Deanna Dunagan who gives a remarkable performance as Nana—at times heartbreaking, at other times completely frightening, she is obviously giving her all to the role and it pays off. You can check out The Visit to rent or buy on iTunes this week, three weeks before DVD and Blu-ray.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
He Named Me Malala (Davis Guggenheim, 2015)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Christopher McQuarrie, 2015)
Ted 2 (Seth MacFarlane, 2015)

As we are often reminded, there are so many great streaming services out there which cater to a variety of different interests. One particular site that hasn’t been mentioned in this weekend streaming series is SundanceNow Doc Club, which offers hundred of documentaries, including exclusives and hard-to-see films. One of the best attractions to their site are the collections they offer, including picks from guest curators like Anthony Bourdain, Dan Savage and Susan Sarandon, to collections by theme (“Black Lives on Film,” “Artists at Work”) and spotlights on documentary legends. This week features prolific documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney, who picked 12 of his personal favorites. The collection includes recent Oscar-nominated 5 Broken Cameras, Wim Wenders’s dance doc Pina, classic European art doc The Sorrow and the Pity, Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, Errol Morris’s seminal crime doc The Thin Blue Line, and more. If you are crazy about documentaries or want to broaden your film watching horizons, you should sign up for a free trial at SundanceNow Doc Club now. For other documentary (and non-documentary) picks fresh on streaming services this week, check out the recommendations below.

Netflix

Phoenix (Christian Petzold, 2014)

You are likely to see Christian Petzold’s German drama Phoenix pop up at Way Too Indie a few times over the next few weeks, as it is one of our favorite films of the year. Nina Hoss turns in a phenomenal performance as a Holocaust survivor who undergoes major facial reconstructive surgery and returns home unrecognizable. She finds her husband, a sleazy night club musician, who uses her as a stand-in for his (thought to be dead) wife as a scheme to collect on her inheritance. Phoenix is riveting, expertly acted and directed, with one of the best endings of the year. The taught and tense dramatic thriller is also a unique post-WWII Holocaust story, which is refreshing for the stuffed genre. To get all the hype coming from awards season, you can now check out Phoenix on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Dinosaur 13 (Todd Douglas Miller, 2014)
The Kindergarten Teacher (Nadav Lapid, 2014)
Phineas and Ferb (series, Season 4)
The Ridiculous 6 (Frank Coraci, 2015)
Xenia (Panos H. Koutras, 2014)

Fandor

Almost There (Dan Rybicky & Aaron Wickenden, 2014)

You may remember a few weeks back when the weekend streaming feature included a story about a partnership between Fandor and documentary production stalwart Kartemquin Films. Among the fruits of that deal is Kartemquin’s most recent film, the unusual artist profile doc Almost There. In the film, filmmakers Rybicky and Wickenden befriend a lonely elderly man named Peter Anton, who happens to be a prolific, but completely undiscovered underground artist. For years, Anton has painted hundreds of photographs (many of which are self-portraits) and assembled these remarkable scrapbooks from his life history. As Anton lives in a decrepit house with little support, the filmmakers intercede in his life—but ultimately discover a secret that dynamically changes their relationship. Almost There begins as a rather standard, breezy artist bio-doc before changing into a very complicated and sad story.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Element of Crime (Lars von Trier, 1984)
Fifi Howls from Happiness (Mitra Farahani, 2013)
The Forbidden Room (Guy Maddin, 2015)
Stinking Heaven (Nathan Silver, 2015)
The Vanishing (George Sluzier, 1988)

MUBI

War Work (Michael Nyman, 2015)

Not long after releasing Paul Thomas Anderson’s music documentary Junun, MUBI has come back with their next streaming exclusive, though this one has decidedly less fanfare. Directed by composer Michael Nyman, War Work is a 65-minute avant-garde film that edits silent-era archive footage together with classical music. Though it doesn’t have much of a specific through-line, the film (as the title suggests) is mostly a montage of different individuals’ work during wartime—from plane makers to doll makers. War Work isn’t an educational or historical document, however, as the scope of footage used and Nyman’s editing give the piece a poetic and sometimes brutal point-of-view. The footage is coupled with eight pieces of music, which was played as live accompaniment for the film at a series of events in 2014. War Work won’t be for everyone, but its exclusive push from MUBI highlights the streaming service’s intent to bring a wide variety of films that you can’t see anywhere else, no matter how esoteric. If you want to see War Work, you have until January 10.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Abuse of Weakness (Catherine Breillat, 2013)
Le Joli Mai (Chris Marker & Pierre Lhomme, 1963)
Steamboat Bill Jr. (Buster Keaton & Charles Reisner, 1928)
The Strange Case of Angelica (Manoel de Oliveira, 2010)
Ten (Abbas Kiarostami, 2002)

Video On-Demand

Ant-Man (Peyton Reed, 2015)

Of the two Marvel Studios films released this year, there is no doubt that Ant-Man had fewer expectations. It may also have been the more wholly satisfying film. In the film, ex-con Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is hired by scientist Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to steal a prototype suit that allows its wearer to shink to the size of an ant while increasing strength. With a story and screenplay that passed through the hands of Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Paul Rudd, Ant-Man has a wonderful comedic voice and fun heist plot—director controversy be damned. Peyton Reed may not be the beloved cult figure, but he is an accomplished comedy director, and he brings a personal style to the smaller-scale superhero epic. Audience response and ticket sales were good enough for Marvel to announce an originally unplanned sequel and more Ant-Man ties within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Dixieland (Hank Bedford, 2015)
One Eyed Girl (Nick Matthews, 2014)
Pawn Sacrifice (Edward Zwick, 2014)
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (Christopher Landon, 2015)
The Transporter Refueled (Camille Delamarre, 2015)

With the start of December comes the start of the most wonderful season of the year: awards season. As critics groups and film organizations start announcing the best achievements of the year, many of us have to scramble to catch up. Luckily, many of the best films of the year are already available to you through a number of streaming platforms.

If you are in the mood for the best docs of the year, Netflix is typically a great place to start, and its where you can see The Wolfpack, Seymour: An Introduction, Call Me Lucky, Dior and I, Best of Enemies, and Iris. Netflix also has a number of the best underseen foreign language films released this year including Stations of the Cross, La Sapienza, The Princess of France, Güeros, and Amour Fou. Or you could dive into Top-10 worthy Beasts of No Nation, The Duke of Burgundy, Tangerine, Jauja, Girlhood, and A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence. Aside from Netflix, with Amazon Prime Video you can see Ex Machina, While We’re Young and Tom at the Farm. Besides all the wonderful classics on Fandor, you can see new docs The Great Museum, Sembene! and The Pearl Button, as well as top foreign language films Tu Dors Nicole, Blind and Li’l Quinquin. And if you happen to be fully caught up with these awards contenders, here are even more movies and television new to streaming this week for you:

Netflix

A Very Murray Christmas (TV Special, Sofia Coppola)

Netflix has already made great impacts on American television culture—they’ve introduced new original programming, provided original programming from abroad, and have even revitalized canceled programming. Now they are tackling another television tradition: the Christmas special. A Very Murray Christmas is an hour-long comedy with a meta twist and as impressive as you can find for something like this. The special is a fictitious backstage satire of type of variety show Christmas specials that begin to pop up around this time every year. Here, a bad storm in New York City has put Bill Murray’s star-studded guest list in serious doubt. And so Bill Murray does what Bill Murray would do, have a lot of random fun anyway. Directed by Sofia Coppola, it also features George Clooney, Amy Pohler, Michael Cera, Miley Cyrus, Jenny Lewis, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, and more.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Broadchurch (Series, Season 2)
Darkman (Sam Raimi, 1990)
Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
A League of Their Own (Penny Marshall, 1992)
Neil Young: Heart of Gold (Jonathan Demme, 2006)
Stations of the Cross (Dietrich Brüggemann, 2014)
Super Size Me (Morgan Spurlock, 2004)
Tangerine (Sean Baker, 2015)
Two Step (Alex R. Johnson, 2014)
What Maisie Knew (Scott McGehee & David Siegel, 2012)

Fandor

My Dinner with Andre (Louis Malle, 1981)

Louis Malle’s seminal independent film, My Dinner with Andre is perhaps as famous as an idea of independent film as it is a film itself. Between the famous stumping from the early days of Ebert and Siskel’s “At the Movies” to a number of references and spoofs ever since, most people have some idea of what the film is without having seen it. The film takes place entirely over a dinner conversation between actor and playwright Wallace Shawn and famed New York theater director Andre Gregory. Over the course (pun intended) of nearly two hours, they chat about life and art with a number of great personal stories. Truthfully, it lives up to its intellectual artsy reputation, but is absolutely full of humor and insightful discussion. It is available on Fandor as part of their “Criterion Picks” until December 13.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Children of Paradise (Marcel Carne, 1945)
Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman, 1982)
How to Smell a Rose (Les Blank, 2014)
Mesrine: Killer Instinct (Jean-Francois Richet, 2011)
Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 (Jean-Francois Richet, 2011)

MUBI

The Arbor (Clio Barnard, 2010)

One of the great documentaries of the decade, Barnard’s The Arbor is also one of the most unusual. A portrait of the life of English playwright Andrea Dunbar, the film showcases her work through staged audio recordings of Dunbar and her family. There is a disconnect between the recorded audio and lip-synching actors that strangely draws in the audience. It is a presentation choice that is meant to distract, but it also builds the natural disconnect between art and life. Dunbar’s life was a dramatic one—living in poverty, she struggled to raise three children while in abusive relationships and extended stays at a refuge for battered women. The Arbor takes this heavy content unflinchingly and with great realism despite the artificial representation. It is available on MUBI until December 29.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Big Man Japan (Hitoshi Matsumoto, 2007)
Brewster’s Millions (Allan Dwan, 1945)
The Gleaners & I (Agnès Varda, 2000)
L for Leisure (Whitney Horn & Lev Kalman, 2014)
Li’l Quinquin (Bruno Dumont, 2014)

Video On-Demand

Amy (Asif Kapadia, 2015)

Speaking of the best films of the year, Asif Kapadia’s brilliant look at celebrity culture and tragedy, Amy, is now available to rent on a variety of VOD platforms (read our review). The documentarian again uses a pretty strict found footage style to shape the life story of singer Amy Winehouse, who went from humble beginnings in small-town England to otherworldly super-stardom before her untimely death from alcohol poisoning. As the film plainly shows, Winehouse’s life was about as public as one can get, seemingly every moment of her final years documented through a number of sources, and yet the documentary is still incredibly captivating. Without the use of director narration or talking head experts, Kapadia is able to mold a vision of how this tragedy could occur, sadder only because the people who could probably stop it simply didn’t. Perhaps the current Oscar front-runner, Amy will no doubt receive a lot of accolades over the next few months making this a perfect time to seek it out.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Breathe (Mélanie Laurent, 2014)
Life (Anton Corbijn, 2015)
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (Wes Ball, 2015)
Mourning Son (Todd Newman, 2015)
Uncle Nick (Chris Kasick, 2015)

Just two weeks ago, Netflix released one of their most critically successful series to date, Aziz Ansari’s Master of None. The show has received praises of not only one of Netflix’s best series, but one of the best shows of the year, despite having little anticipation or large fanbase. However, this won’t be a problem for the newest series to hit the streaming platform as Marvel’s Jessica Jones might be the most anticipated Netflix shows of them all. It’s the second prong of Marvel’s deal with Netflix, following a former super-heroine (Krysten Ritter) who now works as a private eye. After mixed feelings for Daredevil, the marketing of Jessica Jones has struck a chord with more fun in the dark Hell’s Kitchen world. Once you’re done binging Jessica Jones (and then done catching up with Master of None, Narcos, Bloodline, etc.), here are some other great streaming movies and television hot off the presses this weekend:

Netflix

People, Places, Things (James C. Strouse, 2015)

An unconventional romantic comedy, James C. Strouse’s People, Places, Things stars Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows) as a struggling comic book writer slash college professor whose long-term girlfriend has left him. Their relationship is complicated by young twin daughters who spend weekends with their less-than-responsible father. The rom-com aspects come into play when one of Will’s hip students (played by the Daily Show‘s Jessica Williams) sets him up to date her single mother (Regina Hall). Clement and Hall are a strange pair on the surface, but their conflicting comedic personalities (him: wry, her: bubbly) is delightful. While People, Places, Things does throw in some third-act contrivances, centered around Will’s remaining love for the mother of his children, this breezy and funny film is more interested in its characters than rom-com hijinks.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Dark Star: H.R. Giger’s World (Belinda Sallin, 2014)
Dior and I (Frédéric Tcheng, 2014)
Felt (Jason Banker, 2014)
I’m Still Here (Casey Affleck, 2010)

Fandor

The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1991)

This week at Fandor is dedicated to Polish film master Krzsztof Kieslowski, offering many films from his long career as part of their “Criterion Picks.” It is tough to pick out the auteur’s best film, but it might be the artful and complex The Double Life of Veronique. The film stars Irène Jacob in a double role as the Polish singer Weronika and the French music teacher Veronique. She lives a double life through the two characters who don’t know each other but experience an emotional metaphysical link. The film’s lush and innovative cinematography give it a distinct and unforgettable look. Alongside The Double Life of Veronique, Fandor is also offering all three of Kieslowski’s masterful “Three Colors” trilogy, crime film A Short Film About Violence, underseen gems Camera Buff and No End, and even more. As part of the “Criterion Picks,” you are able to see all of these great films for a limited time, until November 29.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Le Week-End (Roger Michell, 2013)
The Ninth Configuration (William Peter Blatty, 1980)
The Official Story (Luis Puenzo, 1985)
Stop the Pounding Heart (Roberto Minervini, 2013)
Traveller (Jack Green, 1997)

MUBI

Joan the Woman (Cecil B. DeMille, 1916)

As part of MUBI’s goal to bring a wide variety of classic and independent films, the streaming service often offers silent films that are outside the general pantheon. While Cecil B. DeMille is recognized as one of the most important and popular directors of classic Hollywood, his later big-budget work like The Ten Commandments gets much more attention—and there are many examples of his silent work that would be called before his 1916 Joan of Arc epic. As far as I can tell, Joan the Woman is the first major feature-length film on the life of the historic French revolutionary (only the 4th on-screen representation at all). This adaptation has a bit of twist, however, as it tells the story of a WWII officer who re-lives the life of Joan of Arc through a vision. Geraldine Farrar takes on the icon off her performance in DeMille’s original screen adaptation of Carmen. Much like the film, Farrar has received much lasting recognition, having a total of only 15 screen credits before retiring from the movies well before the end of the silent era. This is a great opportunity to discover Joan the Woman, which is available on MUBI until December 16.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
The Edge of the World (Michael Powell, 1937)
The Exiles (Kent Mackenzie, 1961)
The Seduction of Mimi (Lina Wertmüller, 1972)
Small, Beautifully Moving Parts (Annie Howell & Lisa Robinson, 2011)
Story of My Death (Albert Serra, 2013)

Video On-Demand

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Guy Ritchie, 2015)

With the highly successful, but narratively underwhelming Spectre in theaters now, it is the perfect time to catch one of the more surprisingly satisfying spy flicks of recent years. Guy Ritchie’s hyper-kinetic and slick style is paired with the classic television show featuring beautiful people and Cold War espionage—and it’s a pretty wonderful match. Elevating the stylish surface-level draws are The Man from U.N.C.L.E.‘s three stars, who work supremely well together. Henry Cavill seemed to use the extra charisma he left on the set as Superman, Armie Hammer (put-upon accent aside) shows a return to his Winklevoss form, and relative newcomer Alicia Vikander continues her rise to eventual stardom. The three performers are very fun to watch, with excellent team chemistry. Together with a few slick action set pieces and many narrative twists and turns, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is Hollywood spy entertainment at its most enjoyable.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
#Horror (Tara Subkoff, 2015)
Criminal Activities (Jackie Earle Haley, 2015)
Man Up (Ben Palmer, 2015)
Meru (Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2015)
We Are Your Friends (Max Joseph, 2015)

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to celebrate all the good things in life with family and friends. But it seems like the holiday is slowly becoming overshadowed by the absurd and incredible shopping deals of the day after. This year, fans of streaming movies and television will reap some of that benefit, as Roku has announced a low-cost streaming player that will be sold as part of their Black Friday push. The device, which will regularly be sold for $50, will be only $25 online and at participating retailers. Despite the low-end cost, the Roku SE will still have access to all of their apps and can stream at 1080p. This could be a good push for those who haven’t already jumped into the streaming world or are still stuck to their computers. Now that we’re all done obsessively watching a Shia LaBeouf watch all of his own movies (we admit, it was surprisingly entertaining), check out these new titles streaming online this weekend.

Netflix

W/ Bob and David (Series, Season 1)

I discovered Mr. Show with Bob and David in college and it became one of the things my friends and I quoted endlessly. Even though some of its episodes were nearly 10 years old, it was so different and so special, that it seemed something just for us. Seventeen years later (can you believe it?) Bob Odenkirk and David Cross are back with a vengeance in a short series that is sure to capture the same rogue comedic spirit. In the years since their landmark first run, Odenkirk has reached critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination for best actor in a drama series (for Breaking Bad) and Cross created one of the most lovable losers in sitcom history (in Arrested Development). Seeing their incredible success over the years makes W/ Bob and David even more interesting—now they are back to claim the throne in sketch comedy once more.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Anna Karenina (Joe Wright, 2012)
Call Me Lucky (Bobcat Goldthwait, 2015)
Dear Jack (Joshua Morrisroe & Corey Moss, 2009)
Mala Mala (Antonio Santini & Dan Sickles, 2014)
The Wolfpack (Crystal Moselle, 2015)

Fandor

Araya (Margot Benacerraf, 1959)

One of the most beautiful documentaries ever made, Margot Benacerraf’s black-and-white study of Venezuelan salt mines is incredibly naturalistic and full of life. In a lot of ways, the film is a direct descendant of the Robert Flaherty school of filmmaking, as it takes an exotic location and simply watches daily processes. Araya is able to build a story out of many characters, however, and it does so very effectively—looking mostly at three generations of a family that all take on different jobs in the mine. The film effortlessly defines each in an anthropological way while maintaining their humanity. Also available now on Fandor is their newest Spotlight, called “The Auteurs,” which includes films from some of the greatest masters of film. Particular films available include The Conformist, Fitzcarraldo, Metropolis, The Turin Horse and The Beaches of Agnès.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
A Coffee in Berlin (Jan Ole Gerster, 2012)
Fire Over England (William Howard, 1937)
Forget Me Not (Zoltan Korda, 1936)
The Great McGonagall (Joseph McGrath, 1974)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Harold Young, 1934)

MUBI

Red Road (Andrea Arnold, 2006)

Before Andrea Arnold found indie acclaim with her 2009 drama Fish Tank she made the compelling thriller Red Road. In the film, Kate Dickie stars a Jackie, a security camera operator who quietly goes about her work until she sees a man from her past show up on screen. This simple setup has received comparisons to the work of thriller masters Alfred Hitchcock and Michael Haneke, and while Red Road is smaller in scope, it delivers on tension. Arnold wonderfully blends in the cinematic realism that she has become known for, giving a unique feel to the usually slick genre. Interestingly, the film’s characters were conceived by filmmaker Lone Scherfig (An Education, The Riot Club) and adapted by Arnold, who wrote the screenplay. You can check out this female-driven thriller on MUBI until December 7.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Gigante (Adrián Biniez, 2009)
The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, 2008)
Lancaster, CA (Mike Ott, 2015)
The Little Deputy (Trevor Anderson, 2015)
Love and Anarchy (Lina Wertmüller, 1973)

Video On-Demand

Entertainment (Rick Alverson, 2015)

The recent spring of anti-comedy films has become one of the most bizarre movements in recent cinema. There has been successful and notable work from the genre’s key figures Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim and Canadian filmmaker Quentin Dupieux, but with Entertainment, Rick Alverson has set himself apart. Along with star Gregg Turkington, who plays a thinly veiled version of his comedic persona Neil Hamburger, Entertainment brings more dramatic stakes and pathos to the anti-comedy narrative. The film follows a stand-up comedian on a horrific tour through hotel lounges and dive bars across the American southwest. The unnamed comedian takes the Neil Hamburger act and replaces his alternative success with ridicule from audiences and overwhelming despair. It doesn’t try to be a character study, but you can’t help but probe into the character’s mind during the bombed performances and many quiet moments. Surrounding Turkington’s outstanding performance is a stellar and surprising supporting cast which includes John C. Riley, Tye Sheridan, Amy Seimetz and Michael Cera. For more opinions on Entertainment, check out of full review of this “dark, surreal road trip that brings out laughter and pain in [a] subversive, provocative anti-comedy.”

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Heist (Scott Mann, 2015)
Mr. Holmes (Bill Condon, 2015)
Shelter (Paul Bettany, 2014)
Tangerine (Sean Baker, 2015)
Terminator Genisys (Alan Taylor, 2015)

Maybe it is because I’m from Chicago, but Kartemquin Films has always been a big deal for me. The Chicago-based documentary company has churned out dozens of fantastic docs in their 50 years, most with a specific eye toward social justice. Even if you don’t recognize the name, it’s likely you’ve seen films they’ve produced—most likely their work with Steve James, including Hoop Dreams and Life Itself. You now have a great opportunity to see many of their great films with their newly announced partnership with Fandor. The streaming service will be the exclusive home for 30 films from throughout Kartemquin’s history, with the first 16 available now. Highlights of the partnership include Kartemquin’s first film, Home for Life, labor struggle film The Last Pullman Car, James’s Grassroots Chicago, and seven-hour immigrant story The New Americans. When you want to take a break from splurging on this new amazing catalog, check out other films new to streaming down below.

Netflix

Starlet [Sean Baker, 2012]

With Sean Baker’s Tangerine garnering great reviews on the indie scene, it’s a great opportunity to check out his last feature. Starlet stars Dree Hemingway and Besedka Johnson as unlikely friends with about 60 years between them. After directionless Jane finds a considerable amount of cashed stored in the thermos she just bought from Sadie’s yard sale, she gets tied up in the old woman’s life. Starlet is a unique film with just a touch of blackly comedic tones over the usually quirky May-December friendship plot. For more on Starlet and Sean Baker, check out our original review of the film and our recent interview with Baker discussing Tangerine.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Can’t Hardly Wait [Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan, 1998]
Do I Sound Gay? [David Thorpe, 204]
Doomsdays [Eddie Mullins, 2013]
Harry and Tonto [Paul Mazursky, 1974]
Last Days in Vietnam [Rory Kennedy, 2014]
Master of None [Series, Season 1]
Seymour: An Introduction [Ethan Hawke, 2014]
Twinsters [Samantha Futerman & Ryan Miyamoto, 2015]

Fandor

Sembene! [Samba Gadjigo & Jason Silverman, 2015]

Our friends at Fandor have become one of the best places on the internet to check out a number of classic films, but they offer much more than their well-publicized Criterion Picks. As a prime example, now-streaming Sembene! (check out our review) hits Fandor the same week it debuts in limited release. The film is a profile doc of 84-year-old filmmaker Ousmane Sembene, the first director from Africa to find sustained international acclaim. His films Black Girl, Xala and Moolaadé are often recognized as the greatest films ever from the continent, exploring much more than the outsider view we so often see. Chronicling his incredible artistic journey, Sembene! is definitely of interest for fans of world cinema.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Grandmother [David Lynch, 1970]
Happy Valley [Amir Bar-Lev, 2014]
The Pearl Button [Patricio Guzmán, 2015]
Watchers of the Sky [Edet Belzberg, 2014]
Zorns Lemma [Hollis Frampton, 1970]

MUBI

If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle [Florin Serban, 2010]

An underseen release from the Romanian New Wave, If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle may have an unwieldy title, but remains a tense drama. The film involves Silviu, a teenage prisoner on the brink of being released. When he finds out that his estranged mother is leaving Romania and taking his beloved young brother, his emotional response threatens his status. This leads to the film’s major dramatic setpiece, an extended hostage situation where Silviu has taken a young social worker with who he has developed a connection. Like most recent Romanian films, If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle is intensely bleak and with high emotional stakes. Director Florin Serban’s following project, Box, sounds like an intriguing puzzle-like thriller, and will most likely come to the West next year. So, in order to catch up, you can check out If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle on MUBI until December 2.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Aliyah [Elie Wajeman, 2012]
Free Men [Ismaël Ferroukhi, 2011]
Her Name Is Sabine [Sandrine Bonnaire, 2007]
Tu Dors Nicole [Stéphane Lafleur, 2014]
Watchtower [Pelin Esmer, 2012]

Video On-Demand

Inside Out [Pete Docter, 2015]

One of the most loved films of the year and Pixar Studio’s most successful film not named Toy Story 3, Inside Out arrives on Video On-Demand along with its DVD and Blu-ray release. Joy, Sadness, Disgust and the gang’s journey is among the most entertaining, sharp and emotional experiences in the cinema. Perhaps more importantly, after a few relatively mediocre releases, Pixar showed once again that it is the top dog in animation. I am convinced Inside Out will be on a wide variety of end-of-year lists and is an honest contender for major awards outside of animation. Check out our review for more thoughts on the latest masterpiece from the animation juggernaut.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
The Hallow [Corin Hardy, 2015]
Lost in the Sun [Trey Nelson, 2015]
Vacation [John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein, 2015]

With Halloween upon us, there is no shortage of spooky films and television shows worth streaming this weekend across all the different platforms we highlight. Netflix obviously has a massive catalog ready to stream, from classics like Rosemary’s Baby to Rodney Ascher’s horror doc The Nightmare and everything in between. If you are in a specific mood, Netflix even allows you to sort by horror subgenre. All about zombies? How about Day of the Dead or Dead Snow? More into old school creature features? Then check out The Host or Grabbers. Into horror, but want to laugh a little? Horror comedies like Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Vampire in Brooklyn, John Dies at the End and more are right at your fingertips. Over at Fandor, you can check out their Spotlight “Fear from Afar,” which highlights many great horror classics from around the world, including films from Werner Herzog, Mario Bava, Dario Argento, Lucio Fulchi, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Jess Franco, and many more. Recent additions to MUBI include Night of the Living Dead, A Bay of Blood, Black Sabbath and Creature from the Black Lagoon. And if all that isn’t enough for you, there are even more streaming platforms that only deal in the spooky and macabre, like Screambox, Shudder and Full Moon Streaming. But for the best selections new to streaming this week (horror and non-horror alike), check out the titles below.

Netflix

Tu Dors Nicole (Stéphane Lafleur, 2014)

One of the best indies of the year so far, Tu Dors Nicole is an entertaining entry into the hipster coming-of-age indie subgenre. The film resists any grand proclamations during it’s sleepy Canadian summer following Nicole’s rather unsuccessful quest for love and fun. It lifts itself up from familiar territory with a number of bizarre, almost surreal, moments—including a disarmingly funny supporting character in 10-year old admirer of Nicole. Though you may not have come across this small film, it’s been on our radar for quite a while as one of our 20 best undistributed films of 2014. We first saw Tu Dors Nicole during our coverage of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and were surprised by its freshness and wonderful 35mm black-and-white cinematography. Now is your chance to check out the film that may very well be in contention for our best of the year list.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
A Borrowed Identity (Eran Riklis, 2014)
The Great Museum (Johannes Holzhausen, 2014)
Güeros (Alonso Ruizpalacios, 2014)
The Human Centipede 3: Full Sequence (Tom Six, 2015)
Manson Family Vacation (J. Davis, 2015)

Fandor

Eyes Without a Face (Georges Franju, 1960)

Recently named one of Way Too Indie’s Ten Must-see Foreign Language Horror Films, Eyes Without a Face is a creepy French drama with an old-school horror plot—a brilliant surgeon kidnaps young ladies in hopes to literally take their faces to graft them onto his unfortunate daughter. Edith Scob’s Christiane is one of the most haunting characters in cinema history with her emotionless white mask, blended perfectly in the black-and-white cinematography. Christiane is a clever twist to classic horror, akin in a strange way to Frankenstein’s monster, as the most terrifying character on the surface is the most innocent. Eyes Without a Face co-stars the glorious Alida Valli as Dr. Génessier’s sinister assistant. As a Fandor “Criterion Pick,” Eyes Without a Face is only available until November 8, but you have the perfect excuse with a spooky Halloween screening.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Haunted Strangler (Robert Day, 1958)
M (Fritz Lang, 1931)
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (Matthew Akers & Jeff Dupre, 2012)
Monsieur Verdoux (Charles Chaplin, 1947)
The Vanishing (George Sluizer, 1988)

MUBI

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (John S. Robertson, 1920)

Despite being one of the most well known and copied horror stories of all time, filmed adaptations of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde don’t seem to have the same cache as other classics in the genre like The Phantom of the Opera or Dracula. That isn’t for lack of trying, as far as I can tell there have been at least ten versions of the story made, with one currently in production. MUBI is now offering the original version, a silent short feature from 1920, starring Hollywood star John Barrymore as the title characters. The 1931 (Rouben Mamoulian + Frederic March) and 1941 (Victor Fleming + Spencer Tracy) have become more notable, but there is something to say for one of the first horror features ever made. Silent horror is one of my favorite subsections of the genre and the over-the-top performance style and haunting music should play right into the Jekyll and Hyde story. If you can’t get to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde during your busy Halloween streaming weekend, it is available on MUBI until November 28.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Antares (Götz Spielmann, 2004)
Hopscotch (Ronald Naeme, 1980)
In the City of Sylvia (José Luis Guerín, 2007)
Somers Town (Shane Meadows, 2008)
Tulpan (Sergei Dvortsevoy, 2008)

Video On-Demand

The Gift (Joel Edgerton, 2015)

Joel Edgerton’s directorial debut, The Gift (read our full review) is a slick throw-back thriller of consequences and brutal revenge. After Simon (Jason Bateman) randomly runs into high school classmate Gordo (Edgerton), he is forced to face the demons of his past—actions that he has either forgotten or willfully ignored. As the situation escalates, Simon’s wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) is put in the cross-hairs of her husband’s feud. The Gift is reminiscent of 90s flicks like Single White Female and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and is every bit as entertaining. The three stars all give great performances, twisting along with the mysterious plot. The Gift is available on Video On-Demand coinciding with its DVD and Blu-ray release.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Max (Boaz Yakin, 2015)
Pixels (Chris Columbus, 2015)
Southpaw (Antoine Fuqua, 2015)

Shout! Factory, one of the best home video distributors of genre cinema operating today, had a little fun with the Halloween season and the #TBT concept yesterday by hosting an all-day streaming session called “The VHS Vault.” They took a few of their older properties and streamed them in a way to replicate the grainy VHS quality that suits many of these films—complete with tracking lines! This is basically the opposite approach to the recent news that Vudu has started to stream their films in 4k. If you missed out on VHS Vault day, don’t worry—you are still able to stream their films on demand at their website or on their Roku and Samsung apps. Available films include classics Sleepaway Camp, Night of the Demons, Day of the Dead, Class of 1984, Exterminators of the Year 3000 and Adjust Your Tracking. If you pitched your VCR and badass collection of horror films years ago (or if you are young enough to not know what a VCR even is), you have the bizarre opportunity to relive the complete VHS experience.

Netflix

Results (Andrew Bujalski, 2015)

Coming up through the ‘mumblecore’ film movement as a director and screenwriter, Andrew Bujalski made the leap to the higher-budgeted indie scene with Results. The film stars Guy Pearce and Cobie Smulders as gym trainer coworkers, but it has been veteran character actor Kevin Corrigan as their new wealthy client, that has been getting the most acclaim. One of the most talked about films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Results has been praised by some as an off-beat romantic comedy, injected with Bujalski’s low-fi sensibilities. For more on Results, check out our (mixed) take on the film here.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (David Lowery, 2013)
Back in Time (Jason Aron, 2015)
Hemlock Grove (Series, Season 3)
Hungry Hearts (Saverio Costanzo, 2014)
Unexpected (Kris Swanberg)

Fandor

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, 1964)

One of the most lush musicals of all time, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a beautiful and heartbreaking romance of first loves Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve) and Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). When Guy is drafted into war, his young lover stays behind in their quiet French town, tending to her mother’s umbrella shop—all set to a musical opera. Deneuve, who was only 21 when the film released, is absolutely radiant, clearly a star-in-the-making. Jacques Demy, the master of French musical cinema, is at the top of his game with vibrant direction and lyrical screenplay. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg isn’t a typical musical, without big dance numbers or musical setpieces set apart from dialogue, but it is as emotionally satisfying and purely entertaining as any of the bigger films of the genre. As a part of their Criterion Picks, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is only available until November 1.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Cruel Story of Youth (Nagisa Ôshima, 1960)
A Day in the Country (Jean Renoir, 1936)
Days of Youth (Yasujirô Ozu, 1929)
Summer Interlude (Ingmar Bergman, 1951)
Suzanne’s Career (Eric Rohmer, 1963)

MUBI

Computer Chess (Andrew Bujalski, 2013)

After watching Bujalski’s newest film on Netflix, you can go over to MUBI to see the highly acclaimed indie that preceded it. With an ultra-dry wit, the 1980s rendering of a computer chess convention is one of the most unconventional comedies of recent years (read our review). Its nerdy vibes and anti-social characters make for a nice comparison with HBO’s Silicon Valley, though much less broadly comedic and even more esoteric. Bujalski’s low-fi narrative construction suits the black-and-white presentation, nostalgic tech and shaggy characters perfectly. Computer Chess is available on MUBI until November 15.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Creature from the Black Lagoon (Jack Arnold, 1954)
Night of the Living Dead (George A. Romero, 1968)
Reality (Matteo Garrone, 2012)
The Strange Little Cat (Ramon Zürcher, 2013)
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (Park Chan-wook, 2005)

Video On-Demand

Trainwreck (Judd Apatow)

Three weeks before it is available on DVD, Blu-ray and streaming rental, you are able to purchase a digital copy of Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck on Amazon and iTunes. A huge success at the box office (read our review), earning more than big-budget tentpoles Tomorrowland and Terminator Genisys, it was also Apatow’s biggest critical hit since Knocked Up. The filmmaker continues to be a bastion for finding young comedic voices and giving them a huge stage to work on—this time with stand-up and sketch comedian Schumer, who wrote the sole writing credit on the film (think about how rare that is for comedies these days). An irreverent look at modern romantic comedies, it might not be as successfully biting as more direct parodies, but it definitely shows a fresh voice. Also, turning in incredibly strong and funny cameos/supporting performances from LeBron James, John Cena and Marv Albert (among others) is quite the feat.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Bone Tomahawk (S. Craig Zahler, 2015)
Jurassic World (Colin Trevorrow, 2015)
Meadowland (Reed Morano, 2015)
Testament of Youth (James Kent, 2014)
The Vatican Tapes (Mark Neveldine, 2015)

It’s August and things get pretty hit or miss at the theaters, right when things are so miserably hot that we’re looking for movie distractions wherever we can. We’ve already established you can skip the latest superhero movie and unless you live in a town with some of the more interesting indie fare, you may just save yourself a few bucks, put that moolah toward blasting the AC and snuggling down for some solid home-entertaining. If you can’t make it out to see Kristen Wiig in theaters this weekend, you can watch her at home. And with VOD, you can see the new Charlize Theron-starring, Gillian Flynn-written thriller, as well as a new political drama with Nicolas Cage. Kick back, cool off and watch away. We’ve got all your new home streaming recommendations ahead.

Netflix

Welcome to Me (Shira Piven, 2014)

Kristen Wiig fans can go see her in theaters today in The Diary of a Teenage Girl, but if that Sundance favorite film isn’t playing in your town, you’re not out of luck. Wiig also stars in Welcome to Me, an indie film by relative newbie Shira Piven (brother is actor Jeremy Piven). Wiig stars as Alice Klieg, a socially awkward and borderline personality disorder patient who wins the lottery and decides she wants her own TV show and now has the money to buy herself one. Wes Bentley and James Marsden play two brothers running an infomercial TV studio strapped for cash who take advantage of Alice’s newfound fortune and iffy mentally ill decision-making. The film walks a fine line in finding the humor in mental illness, but mostly exceeds at finding the humor in self-therapy and in the entirely human desire to be understood. It’s a funny and colorful film and the perfect platform for Wiig to showcase the many sides of her humorous abilities.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
HitRECord on TV (Season 1)
Doctor Who(Season 8) on 8/8/15
Club de Cuervos (Season 1)
Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (Kiah Roache-Turner, 2015)
Kill Me Three Times (Kriv Stenders, 2014)
The Look of Love (Michael Winterbottom, 2013)

Fandor

The Sun’s Burial (Nagisa Ôshima, 1960)

The early ’60s were an intriguing time in Japanese cinema at a central peak of the Japanese New Wave movement, not especially unlike the French New Wave movement but distinct in its influencing factors, among which was a desire to spark some fresh perspective into the dying Japanese film industry. Among the most prominent young filmmakers to emerge was Nagisa Ôshima. A few of his later titles may be what we most recall him for including Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and the samurai film Taboo, but his second film Cruel Story of Youth launched him into the New Wave spotlight earning him a place alongside Truffaut and Godard. The Sun’s Burial is his follow-up to Cruel Story of Youth, released only months later—he released three films in total in 1960—and contains much of the same themes including youth living in the midst of socioeconomic disparity. Following a group of young gangsters committing crimes and dealing with drama on the streets of Osaka, its the perfect way to see a master in the making, finding those moments within the film that showcase Ôshima’s brilliance.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Man in the Iron Mask (James Whale, 1939)
Society (Brian Yuzna, 1989)
Charles Manson Superstar (Nikolas Schreck, 1989)
Girl on a Bicycle (Jeremy Leven, 2013)

MUBI

Actress (Robert Greene, 2014)

When we caught the film at Hot Docs last year our critic’s consensus was that Actress is “mesmerizing the whole way through” and one of the better documentary films we saw last year. Robert Greene blurs the lines of documentary filmmaking by focusing on Brandy Burre, an actress and mother most publicly known from her role on the HBO series The Wire. In the film, Greene is given access into Burre’s home life as a mother and her latest endeavors to get back into acting. A simple enough focus, but what makes it interesting is the way in which Burre’s behavior calls into question how much of what we see is her acting and what is her being herself. Or an even bigger question is if she is being herself, but influenced by the direction of Greene. When on camera, how much is anyone really themselves? Intriguing ponderings and an excellently made film.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
I Saw The Devil (Kim Jee-Woon, 2010)
What Now? Remind Me (Joaquim Pinto, 2013)
Cure – The Life of Another (Andrea Staka, 2014)
Kati With an I (Robert Greene, 2010)
Laila (George Schnéevoigt, 1929)

Video On-Demand

Dark Places (Gilles Paquet-Brenner, 2015)

Gone Girl being the discussion film of 2014, it will be interesting to see if as many people pick up on the next Gillian Flynn novel adaptation, with another script by Flynn herself. Similarly twisty, Dark Places stars Charlize Theron as Libby, the sole survivor of the brutal murder of her family when she was a child. Years later public interest in her family’s murder case cause Libby to revisit the crime, unearthing new information and throwing Libby for a loop. The film also stars Drea de Matteo, Corey Stoll, Christina Hendricks, and Nicholas Hoult but let’s be honest, Charlize Theron is basically our favorite actress right now due to Mad Max: Fury Road. We’ll be rushing out to see her next 10 films for sure.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Five Star (Keith Miller, 2014)
The Runner (Austin Stark, 2015)
Harbinger Down (Alec Gillis, 2015)
Spare Change (Arturo Guzman, Jonathan Talbert, 2015)

It’s interesting that teenagers and post-apocalyptic worlds fit so well together. Even Mad Max: Fury Road had a youngish cast. Perhaps there really is no country for old men. The Last Survivors (formerly titled The Well) is a post-apocalyptic film that tells a simple story convincingly, especially considering its director, Thomas S. Hammock, has up until now focused his career on production design. Taking place in a future world of water-depleted desperation, the film keeps its focus narrow, depicting life in the now desert wasteland of the Oregon Valley without trying to explain the world or how any of this came to pass. It’s a very present film, focusing on the immediate struggles of its quiet characters.

Kendal (Haley Lu Richardson) is a smart and self-sufficient survivor during these dangerous times. Living at what used to be a home for orphaned youth with another survivor, Dean (Twilight‘s Booboo Stewart), she discretely keeps the two of them alive off of water from their hidden well. During the day Kendal slinks around the sun-streaked arid land in search of abandoned cars, rummaging through their parts for a specific piece that will work on the non-functioning airplane they hope to use to escape this place. Dean, who is starting to look sickly, spends nights listening to the old two-way radio the neighboring farms use to keep each other informed. One night a neighbor says there are people outside her house, and her fright suggests there is more to fear in the desert than dehydration. Kendal grabs her trusty shotgun and heads off into the night. A man named Carson (John Gries) has been offering his help to those left in the valley who want to come out of hiding, but as she sneaks around the dark farm, Kendal sees that Carson, along with his daughter and the sadistic priestly looking lackey who never leave his side, clearly have selfish intentions for the land (and water) of the farmers. Kendal barely escapes with her life, the other farm folk not so lucky.

Setting a jumpy atmosphere as it transitions between dark indoor and night scenes and blindingly bright outdoor desert scenes, the film keeps up great tension. Hammock is smart to keep his plot simple, focusing on survival and the simple daily threats that Kendal must face. Richardson carries the film expertly, showing both courage and fear to round Kendal out as a believable and likable hero. The film does falter somewhat in providing proper motivation for its side characters. Kendal and Dean, forced to maintain their daily survival in hiding mode as they work toward their goal of flying away, do their small part to help others as available. A child, Alby (Max Charles), presumably also from the home, lives in a neighboring barn, refusing to join Kendal and Dean but accepting the daily rations she brings him.

Gabriel (another Twilight alum, Michael Welch), part of a neighboring farm, harbors feelings for Kendal yet inexplicably accepts his place in Carson’s army of burlap clad drones after his family ill-advisedly seeks Carson’s help. Which is another small hiccup—Kendal does a lot of hiding throughout the film doing a good job of staying alive, but isn’t especially helpful in keeping those around her alive, especially in warning others of Carson’s obvious maliciousness. It takes a lot for her to finally fight back in the end, though when she does it’s a well-crafted standoff. Most puzzling, though, is that Carson himself seems to lack compelling causation. Granted, his greed for water, the highest commodity, is evident, but his sadistic nature isn’t as clearly explained. Everything he does, he claims to do for his daughter, but the chemistry between them is weak.

While it’s easy to get caught up in the details (for one, Kendal’s hair is entirely too perfect considering showers are definitely not an option in a world without water), the overall picture Hammond paints is pretty remarkable for a first-time director. With the feel of a well-paced Western, The Last Survivors stands out, never sinking to the theatrics of other post-apocalyptic films.

A version of this review ran as part of our 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival coverage. The Last Survivors is available August 4, 2015 on VOD, DVD & Blu-Ray. 

Over the past few weeks, our Now Streaming features have been chronicling the rapidly blurred line between theatrical and streaming releases. The most high-profile example of this so far is Netflix’s upcoming release of Beasts of No Nation, directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Idris Elba. The first trailer for the film dropped yesterday, along with news the film will open in 19 Landmark Theaters simultaneously with its global launch on the streaming service (via Deadline).

We’ve seen a lot of deals where a film would first open in theaters, perhaps with a shortened release schedule, before becoming available to stream. And of course many small films are available on VOD the same day (or even before) as theaters. To see a film with this kind of profile opening in theaters and a subscription service together, as opposed to a pay-per-view platform, is something else entirely. It will be very interesting to see how the film performs in both arenas and what potential ripples that may have on film distribution. For now, check out these new-to-streaming movies that have already made their theatrical run, as well as a hotly anticipated original series.

Netflix

Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (Season 1)

At long last, the prequel series of the cult comedy hits Netflix today, with all eight episodes of the first season available to stream. Creators David Wain and Michael Showalter were somehow able to get all of the film’s impressive (and now, in some cases, popular) cast back together, including Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, David Hyde Pierce, and newcomer Jason Schwartzman. The idea of revisiting Camp Firewood 14 years later as a prequel is wonderfully silly and ripe with possibilities of parody, potentially showcasing Wain and Showalter’s comedic strengths. We shall see if the lightning-in-the-bottle nature of Wet Hot American Summer, with its reputation growing over time, will be reignited or tarnished—in any case, it is an honorable experiment.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
52 Tuesdays (Sophie Hyde, 2013)
Almost Mercy (Tom DeNucci, 2015)
Comet (Sam Esmail, 2014)
The Skeleton Twins (Craig Johnson, 2014)
The Wrecking Crew (Denny Tedesco, 2008)

Fandor

The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966)

This week, Fandor is taking a sharp look at one of cinema’s greatest years: 1966. Maybe the best of the bunch is the vital and vibrant The Battle of Algiers. The film captures the violent Algerian rebellion against the colonial French in a documentary style that puts the viewer right into the conflict. Using coarse black-and-white photography, statistical information, and a full-scope narrative give The Battle of Algiers its unique presentation and tone—more like an educational video than the war/action film that it could suit. That doesn’t make the film any less thrilling, though, especially since it is just as biting and politically relevant today as it was in 1966. With all of Fandor’s Criterion Picks, you only have a short time to catch it, so make sure you watch The Battle of Algiers and their other selections from 1966 before they expire on August 9.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:.
Closely Watched Trains (Jirí Menzel, 1966)
Daisies (Vera Chytilová, 1966)
Moonlighting (Jerzy Skolimowski, 1982)
Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
A Shock to the System (Jan Egleson, 1990)

MUBI

Too Much Johnson (Orson Welles, 1938)

I hadn’t realized that there was a Orson Welles film I never heard of, but then MUBI comes along with a 1938 short feature comedy from the great director. The oddly titled film involves a woman with two male lovers; when her husband discovers the other man, he goes on a wild chase to find him. The film had been thought lost until a print was discovered in an Italian warehouse in 2008—after a few years of restoration, it made it’s long-overdue premiere in 2013. This is a terrific example of what makes MUBI an excellent service, as they very personally curate their films, giving a spotlight to each one. This shows up in an eclectic group of films available at any given time, with many selections not easily accessed elsewhere.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Ashes (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2012)
I Am Secretly an Important Man (Peter Sillen, 2010)
The Marriage Circle (Ernst Lubitsch, 1924)
The Queen of Versailles (Lauren Greenfield, 2012)
To Be or Not to Be (Ernst Lubitsch, 1942)

Video On-Demand

White God (Kornél Mundruczó, 2014)

A “Must See Indie” now available on VOD with its release on DVD and Blu-ray, White God is a shocking mash-up of genres with a very intriguing premise. The film follows Hagen, a mixed-breed dog who is abandoned by his young owner’s father onto the streets of Budapest. So Hagen does what any dog would do: recruit an army of canine followers to rise against the humans. It is a strange twist on the hero’s tale and an immensely enjoyable one at that. Not only did the film win the Certain Regard prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, but also the Palm Dog Award—and, no, I’m not making that up, that’s a real thing. In our review of the film, we said “White God is absolutely an insta-classic dog film, but it’s also superbly crafted genre cinema, and a canine fairytale that’s sure to sweep audiences off their feet.”

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Home (Tim Johnson, 2015)
A LEGO Brickumentary (Kief Davidson & Daniel Junge, 2014)
Unexpected (Kris Swanberg, 2015)
The Water Diviner (Russell Crowe, 2014)

Another week, another streaming service getting into the theatrical release business. This time it is “Now Streaming” mainstay MUBI, as announced on Variety, as they have secured the UK and Ireland rights to distribute festival darling Arabian Nights. As part of the deal, shortly after the theatrical release, MUBI will do what they do best and make the film available on their streaming service. With Netflix, Amazon and now MUBI in on the theatrical game, the writing on the wall has been outlined in permanent marker—the way we consume movies will continue to change in the coming years. And now check out the titles new to the various streaming sites below.

Netflix

Zero Motivation (Talya Lavie, 2014)

One of the best films in the recent run out of Israel, Zero Motivation is a darkly comedic take on the intense situation in the Middle East. In the vein of MASH, this is a wartime film without any war, replacing bullets and bombs with a group of young women bored to death by the menial office work they are charged with as part of their required military service. Perhaps the film’s strongest attribute is its balance between sometimes silly, sometimes droll situational humor with the very serious backdrop—it always understands that there are real stakes at play here, even with a group of characters plucked from the Israeli cast of Girls. When we picked it as one the best films from 2014 that you may have missed, we called the film a “confidently pleasant experience, one that’s surprisingly funny and likable.”

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Guest (Adam Wingard, 2014)
Set Fire to the Stars (Andy Goddard, 2014)
Teacher of the Year (Jason Strouse, 2014)

Fandor

Taste of Cherry (Abbas Kiarostami, 1997)

A much different type of film from the Middle East is Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry. The film involves a middle-aged Iranian man seeking to find someone who will help in burying him after he commits suicide. Much of the film takes place inside of Mr. Badii’s truck as he talks with them about the unique job he is hiring. This structure gives the film a slow, meandering pace, but much rewarding philosophical thought. Today, the film might be most famous for its 1-star review from Roger Ebert (who, interestingly, loved the similarly themed Goodbye Solo). Taste of Cherry is presented by Fandor as part of its Criterion Picks exploring some of the best independent films of the 1990s—a few of which are highlighted below. As with many Fandor streaming selections, it is available for a limited time. If you want to catch up with Taste of Cherry, or any of the 1990s picks, you will have to do so by August 2.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion, 1990)
Emporte-moi (Léa Pool, 1999)
Ratcatcher (Lynne Ramsay, 1999)
Rhymes for Young Ghouls (Jeff Barnaby, 2013)
Schizopolis (Steven Soderbergh, 1996)

MUBI

Poetry (Lee Chang-dong, 2010)

Poetry is a beautiful and poignant film from one of most emotionally resonant storytellers working in today’s world cinema. The film is a character profile of an elderly woman who begins showing the early signs of Alzheimer’s—the title coming from a poetry class the woman begins taking in order to maintain her mental strength. Of the filmmakers coming from the South Korean New Wave, Lee works less within the extreme genres and more from the country’s melodramatic traditions. Poetry does blend in some elements of crime and violence, but is much more a simple character study.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Barking Dogs Never Bite (Bong Joon-ho, 2000)
Casanova ’70 (Mario Monicelli, 1965)
The Ruling Class (Peter Medak, 1972)
The Stunt Man (Richard Rush, 1980)
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2010)

iTunes and VOD

Veep (Season 4)

Hitting iTunes for rental or purchase this week is the wonderful fourth season of the HBO comedy series Veep. This season saw Selena Meyer and her ragtag team (including new cast member Hugh Laurie as her perhaps too popular running mate) hitting the campaign trail, ending in a shocking election night. Episode #9 “Testimony” is a particular highlight—the episode is completely made from the “found footage” taken from a congressional committee hearing. An homage to the landmark McCarthy hearings documentary Point of Order, “Testimony” gives a new for to Veep‘s biting satire. With the fate of Selena Meyer up in the air, the show’s brilliant creator, Armando Iannucci, is stepping away as executive producer, writer, and director.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Before We Go (Chris Evans, 2014)
Child 44 (Daniel Espinosa, 2015)
Felix and Meira (Maxime Giroux, 2014)
House of Lies (Season 4)
Lucky Stiff (Christopher Ashley, 2014)

Netflix has become the standard bearer for original content from a streaming service—not only in terms of their ever-growing catalog of traditional television series, but soon with original films from major stars and top indie directors. Amazon Prime may be well behind, even with hits like Transparent and Catastrophe, but they are looking to take a step in the original movie biz before they get too far behind. It was announced this week that Amazon Studios has purchased its first film to distribute, the upcoming Spike Lee look at inner-city violence Chiraq. In their exclusive, The Hollywood Reporter noted that the film will first receive a coveted December theatrical release with hopes of Oscar before being made available “relatively quickly to Amazon Prime customers” to stream. Piggybacking on last week’s streaming news on Paramount’s plans to release films more quickly to VOD, this is more evidence of the industry becoming more aware of and open to the benefits of streaming and more big-time projects are sure to follow. Before all of your favorite directors sign exclusive rights to stream their newest films, check below to see new titles that you can watch from home this weekend.

Netflix

Tig (Kristina Goolsby & Ashley York, 2015)

One underplayed but very important segment of Netflix’s original content plan are stand-up comedy concert films. If you are a comedy buff, there is a near-endless selection of specials to view from the very best in the business—Louis C.K., Kevin Hart, John Hodgman, Aziz Ansari and Mike Birbiglia all have a home on Netflix and the service seems to add more and more every week. Though not solely a stand-up special, the newest Netflix original documentary is a look into the life and work of one of the best alt comics of this generation, Tig Notaro. Tig picks up with its very funny subject days after she has been diagnosed with cancer, making it much more than a typical comedian profile. Notaro’s unique comedic voice and personality is really enough to sustain the film, but the added perspective gained through her tough situation will give her fans a deeper connection. Read our review of Tig.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Bojack Horseman (Season 2)
Creep (Patrick Brice, 2014)
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (Spike Lee, 2014)
Goodbye to All That (Angus MacLachlan, 2014)
These Final Hours (Zak Hilditch, 2013)

Fandor

The Spirit of the Beehive (Víctor Erice, 1973)

One of the most imaginative films ever made, Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive showcases the power of cinema when a young girl in rural Spain sees James Whales’s Frankenstein. Young Ana is so transfixed and curious about the experience that she escapes into a fantasy world where she can leave her brutally turbulent life behind. If you love Pan’s Labyrinth, this film is a must watch, as it heavily inspired del Toro. As part of Fandor’s “Criterion Picks,” The Spirit of the Beehive is only available to stream for a limited time. Also new to Fandor is their next Spotlight series—“Game Changers,” a collection of thrilling sports documentaries and dramas. Films in the series include Hoop Dreams, Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, Fake It So Real, Headin’ Home: a biopic of Babe Ruth starring Babe Ruth as himself, and Boxing Cats: a short actuality film from the silent era where someone put tiny boxing gloves on house cats and staged a championship bout. That last one is worth the subscription cost alone.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Being Two Isn’t Easy (Kon Ichikawa, 1962)
Mouchette (Robert Bresson, 1967)
The Unstable Object (Daniel Eisenberg, 2011)
Warrendale (Allan King, 1967)
Where Is My Friend’s House? (Abbas Kiarostami, 1987)

MUBI

The Turin Horse (Béla Tarr & Ágnes Hranitzky, 2011)

If you have two and a half hours free, you do spend it in many worse ways than watching Béla Tarr’s minimalist masterpiece. Tarr has built his reputation on snail-paced but powerful films, with The Turin Horse one of his most striking. The film has a very interesting philosophical supposition—jumping off of a story that Friedrich Nietzsche sees a carriage driver whipping his horse, then puts his arms around the horse to protect it from the beating. Immediately after, Nietzsche would be diagnosed with mental illness and never speak again for the rest of his life. The punchline to the tale is “We do not know what happened to the horse.” The Turin Horse tells the following story of the horse, farmer and his daughter in the sometime-serene, sometime-brutal Polish landscape. Much of what we see are daily routines of their lives (the unnamed daughter peeling potatoes is a particular recurring scene), and ultimately becomes a mesmerizing showcase of editing, cinematography, set production and patience.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Aelita: Queen of Mars (Yakov Protazanov, 1924)
Marley (Kevin Macdonald, 2012)
The Past Is a Grotesque Animal (Jason Miller, 2014)
Quadrophenia (Franc Roddam, 1979)
Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006)

VOD & Digital HD

Far from the Madding Crowd (Thomas Vinterberg, 2015)

Vinterberg’s follow up to the stunning and suffocating The Hunt is the equally stunning, but much more easy-going adaptation of the popular Thomas Hardy novel Far from the Madding Crowd. The film stars the always dependable Carey Mulligan as an fiercely independent woman who inherits a large farm and attracts three very different suitors—the most dreamy (editorializing) being Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Bone, Bullhead) as Gabriel Oak, a farm hand with a shared history. It might be a peculiar change in direction for the Danish filmmaker, but Vinterberg brings in a sure hand and naturalistic perspective to what could be just another boring British romance novel adaptation. With lush cinematography and a very talented cast, rounded out by Michael Sheen and Tom Sturridge, it will likely stand as one of the most emotionally searing, gorgeous films of the year. If you don’t live close enough to an arthouse cinema where it would have played during its limited theatrical release, it’s now available to rent or buy on iTunes.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Clouds of Sils Maria (Olivier Assayas, 2014)
Dior and I (Frédéric Tcheng, 2014)
Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2015)
It Follows (David Robert Mitchell, 2014)
The Salt of the Earth (Juliano Ribeiro Salgado & Wim Wenders, 2014)

As the landscape of home viewing and streaming continuously changes, major studios have taken more notice with schemes of simultaneous streaming/theatrical releases at a higher price point. Paramount is the next to come up with a streaming plan, though this is one that may have some legs. First reported at the Hollywood Reporter, the mega studio has partnered with mega theater chain AMC to shorten the theatrical release window for two upcoming films. Two October releases, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension and Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, will hit VOD just 17 days following its theatrical release (as opposed to the typical theatrical runs of 4-6 weeks for films of this size). This may be a small impact at this point, and you may not be interested in the two films that will experiment with the strategy, but it is important to know that Hollywood is taking more notice on how we consume films. It’s still difficult to see the theatrical model changing dynamically, but more diverse viewing platforms is a step in the right direction. Before you check out a new Paramount film from the comfort of your couch, here are some new titles to streaming to check out this weekend.

Netflix

Faults (Riley Stearns, 2014)

The best films of the year so far just keep dropping on Netflix. Faults, #19 on our mid-year best of list, is a thrilling and darkly funny two-hander between a woman escaped from a cult (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and the crack deprogramer hired to ease her back into society (Leland Orser, in a career performance). Cults have been a hot topic in indie dramas the past few years, so now we’re seeing films able to take those tropes into new directions – Faults does so in clever and rewarding ways. In our “Must See Indie” review of the film we called it an “original feature debut, a compelling chamber piece boasting fantastic performances, and so soaked in charisma that it’s almost impossible not to be enchanted from hilarious start to insatiable finish.”

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Long Way Home (Mark Jonathan Harris, 1997)
The Search for General Tso (Ian Cheney, 2014)
Serena (Susanne Bier, 2014)
Wild Canaries (Lawrence Michael Levine, 2014)
Winston Churchill: Walking with Destiny (Richard Trank, 2010)

Fandor

A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)

This week Fandor is profiling the work of American indie pioneer John Cassavetes, with A Woman Under the Influence, his most vital film, being the highlight. Starring Gena Rowlands in her career defining performance, it is one of the most challenging looks at mental illness on-screen. Cassavetes’s matter-of-fact style puts you right in the room while the struggling Mabel and her hardened husband (Peter Falk) have a series of intense, emotional altercations. A Woman Under the Influence certainly isn’t an easy film-watching experience, but it is a perfect example of the power of cinema for character, story and thoughtful direction. Other Cassavetes films available on Fandor this week include The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Faces, Opening Night and Shadows – and all are available without Fandor’s two-week viewing window, but that doesn’t mean you should wait to see this fantastic films.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Children of Paradise (Marcel Carné, 1945)
The Past Is a Grotesque Animal (Jason Miller, 2014)
Under the Roofs of Paris (René Clair 1930)
La Vie de Bohème (Aki Kaurismäki, 1992)
Vivre sa Vie (Jean-Luc Godard, 1962)

MUBI

A Simple Life (Ann Hui, 2011)

One of the unheralded auteurs currently working today, Ann Hui’s simple, touching films often look into worlds that aren’t represented well in cinema. A Simple Life is a great example of this, the story of an elderly maid after suffering a stroke. After moving to a retirement home, the woman begins a friendship with a young man she cared for as a maid for many years. Usually when a film is set in a retirement home there is some sort of evil or incompetence at play, or at the very least the staggering melodrama of aging, but Hui chooses to focus on simple pleasures like food and friendship. There are certainly dramatic elements that come into play, but the film never strains for them. It is a nice change of pace.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Artificial Paradises (Marcos Prado, 2012)
Blissfully Yours (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2002)
Fogo (Yulene Olaizola, 2012)
A Room with a View (James Ivory, 1985)
Tears of the Black Tiger (Wisit Sasanatieng, 2000)

Video On-Demand

’71 (Yann Demange, 2014)

One of the most overlooked films of this year, ’71 is a taught thriller starring Jack O’Connell as a British soldier who gets trapped behind enemy lines after an incident on the streets of Northern Ireland. A smart mix of action, thriller, war and espionage genres, ’71 perfectly uses its unique time and space to create a unique film. At times it feels like a 1980s hero-driven action flick before seamlessly transitioning into something like a supremely good John le Carré adaptation. Set in a highly political environment, the film deftly navigates the issues between the people and its government without being didactic. Now that ’71 is on DVD and VOD, it can hopefully find some legs as we begin ramping up to our best of the year lists.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014)
Merchants of Doubt (Robert Kenner, 2014)
Red Knot (Scott Cohen, 2014)
Woman in Gold (Simon Curtis 2015)

Whenever I am staying in a hotel and have a little time to kill, I usually end up watching terrible television. With the limited channel selection and subpar early afternoon HBO programming, there’s not a lot to choose from. But Marriott hotels are looking to change that by offering Netflix streaming on the in-room television. Unfortunately for some, you have to be a Netflix subscriber to use the service, but it is definitely a cool little perk to make the business or pleasure stay more pleasurable. The service is already employed in a few hotels in New York and California, with a full roll-out expected in 2016. So, if you find yourself at a Marriott with Netflix this weekend, check out what you should be watching, along with new streaming suggestions elsewhere on the internet.

Netflix

A Most Wanted Man (Anton Corbijn, 2014)

One of the most underrated films of 2014, A Most Wanted Man boasts a slick spy game look and fantastic performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman (in his last lead performance) and its ensemble cast. Only Anton Corbijn’s third feature film, he fully controls a rich script based on a John le Carre novel. The work of the popular spy novellist has shown to translate well to the screen, and A Most Wanted Man is no exception—its geopolitical messages are complex and absolutely vital to today’s world culture. Beautifully shot in industrial Hamburg, Germany, the dreary atmosphere cranks up the the already tense political landscape. Working in every aspect, it is surprising that the film didn’t receive more critical praise last year. Now is the time to check it out for yourself and re-think your top 10 of 2014 list.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Ballet 422 (Jody Lee Lipes, 2014)
Beyond the Lights (Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2014)
Cake (Daniel Barnz, 2014)
GasLand (Josh Fox, 2010)
What Happened, Miss Simone? (Liz Garbus, 2015)

Fandor

Laurence Anyways (Xavier Dolan, 2012)

Because of a strange split release, Dolan’s newest film Mommy received it’s fair share of attention at the end of last year and will likely pop up on end-of-year lists in future months (it was #3 on our best of the year so far list), but Laurence Anyways is the young filmmaker’s best film. The film stars Melvil Poupaud as a school teacher who decides to undergo a gender transition. There haven’t been many films that positively depict a transgendered lead, making Laurence Anyways more interesting. Dolan fully employs his sensual, vibrant style, full of color and bold cinematography. There is plenty of drama, too, as Laurence’s decision affects his family and long-term girlfriend, played by Dolan staple Suzanne Clement. Clement delivers a fiery and dynamic performance, enough to make me wonder why other filmmakers haven’t seemed to discover her yet.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Confidentially Yours (François Truffaut, 1983)
Othello (Orson Welles, 1952)
Street of Shame (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1956)
The Stranger (Satyajit Ray, 1991)
Three Colors: Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1994)

MUBI

The Host (Bong Joon-ho, 2006)

With Jurassic World setting the box-office on fire, it’s a good time to watch/re-watch one of the best modern monster movies. Before he broke through to English language film with the indie-hit Snowpiercer last year, South Korean auteur Bong Joon-Ho built his career on clever genre constructions, The Host chief among them. The film follows a family trying to save one of their own from a vicious sea monster that has come to destroy Seoul. The Host is scary, thrilling, funny, action packed and super cool. And the title monster features one of the most inspired creature designs. On MUBI, the curated titles are only available for 30 days, so you’ll want check out The Host sooner rather than later.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Exiled (Johnnie To, 2006)
The Lost World (Harry O. Hoyt, 1925)
My Brilliant Career (Gillian Armstrong, 1979)
The Rink (Charles Chaplin, 1916)
A Summer’s Tale (Eric Rohmer, 1996)

Video On-Demand

While We’re Young (Noah Baumbach, 2014)

Baumbach’s latest film now makes its VOD debut along with its release on DVD and Blu-ray. Starring Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a 40-something hipster couple whose relationship hits a breaking point after befriending a 20-something hipster couple, While We’re Young is a very funny look across generations. The film has a sharp eye on how culture, music, technology and filmmaking has changed over time and how we have become dependent on finding the next coolest trends. Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried are great as the foils to Stiller and Watts, slightly exaggerated versions of Brooklyn youths, but well-developed and whole characters in their own right. Baumbach has become one of the premiere indie directors of his generation, and While We’re Young strengthens his place.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (David Zellner, 2014)
A Little Chaos (Alan Rickman, 2014)
The Little Death (Josh Lawson, 2014)

Starting this week, we’ll be adding another awesome streaming service to our weekly updates. For those of you who don’t know MUBI, it’s a uniquely curated streaming site which selects a different indie or genre film every day, available for 30 days. Thus, members of MUBI can watch one of 30 films at any one time. Plus, with gorgeous web design and a very active community of members, MUBI is a unique experience, one of the best ways to watch and talk about films online. Plus, it’s very reasonably priced ($4.99 a month). We’re very excited to recommend the many great films on MUBI in the coming weeks. To see what’s streaming there and on the usual suspects, see below!

Netflix

Eastern Boys (Robin Campillo, 2013)

One of the more interesting foreign films to be released in the U.S. so far this year, Campillo’s Eastern Boys starts out as a sex thriller before turning into a gay romance and eventually into a social commentary on immigration. Despite the large swings in tone, it feels like a complete film, and largely a satisfying one. Olivier Rabourdin gives a very good lead performance as Daniel, a middle-aged man who propositions a Ukrainian teen. Their transaction doesn’t end up as expected, which ultimately builds through the unpredictable film. Campillo (The Class, Time Out) shows to be a smart and challenging filmmaker—his work in the dialogue-free first scene is a stand-out, and one of the best openings in a film in the last couple of years.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Butler (Lee Daniels, 2013)
High Fidelity (Stephen Frears, 2000)
Point and Shoot (Marshall Curry, 2014)
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer (Mike Lerner & Maxim Pozdorovkin, 2013)
Scandal (Season 4)

Fandor

The Kid (Charles Chaplin, 1921)

The bridge between Chaplin’s very successful career in short comedies and the features that built his legacy, The Kid is his first great film. The 68-minute gem showed that Chaplin was much more than a merely brilliant comedian, with the heart-breaking story of a lonely tramp and an orphaned boy (played by the incomparable Jackie Coogan, the original child star). The film is incredibly grounded in the relationship between its two stars, but is also well balanced with an oft-remade window salesman scene and a bit of whimsical fantasy. If you want to check out The Kid on Fandor, you’ll have to do it by June 28. The streaming site has also introduced a new Spotlight series, called “Breaking Binary” highlighting films that challenge the social definitions of gender. This very timely collection includes 52 Tuesdays, Let Me Die a Woman, The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye, and more.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost) (William Miller, 2012)
Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)
Father (Keisuke Kinoshita, 1988)
Late Spring (Yasujiro Ozu, 1949)
Seduced and Abandoned (Pietro Germi, 1964)

MUBI

Red Cliff (John Woo, 2008)

After an increasingly disappointing run in Hollywood, Hong Kong master John Woo went back home in 2008 to make the epic Red Cliff. The film stars Tony Leung as a warrior fighting in the Battle of Red Cliffs at the end of the Han dynasty. It isn’t quite like the two gun actioners that made Woo one of the hottest directors in the world, but Red Cliff‘s huge scale, intense battle sequences, and beautiful production design which showed the filmmaker still had a lot to offer audiences. And if its 145 minute runtime just isn’t enough, you can also stream the epic’s second part (at another 142 minutes).

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
The Adventurer (Charles Chaplin, 1917)
After Tiller (Martha Shane & Lana Wilson, 2013)
The Fortress (Fernand Melgar, 2008)
Vampir (Pere Portabella, 1970)
The Vanquished (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1953)

Video On-Demand

Wild Tales (Damián Szifrón, 2014)

If you’ve visited Way Too Indie at all in the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard us rant and rave about the excellent Argentinian film Wild Tales. We were on the hype train early, naming it one of our favorites to screen at TIFF 2014 and one of the best films we saw coming into the year. This week, when we reviewed Wild Tales for its DVD and Blu-ray release, and we called it one of the most rewarding and entertaining films of the year. Oh, and it landed at #3 on of best of the year so far list. So obviously, Wild Tales has our highest recommendation. Run, don’t walk.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Chappie (Neill Blomkamp, 2015)
The Lazarus Effect (David Gelb, 2015)
Run All Night (Jaume Collet-Serra, 2015)

As you are likely aware, legendary actor Christopher Lee passed away at the age of 93. As a fan of both horror films and giant blockbuster franchises, he was one of my favorites. Perhaps it was the types of films he was most recognized for, but he’s one of the most under-appreciated, underrated stars of the screen. This is made even more apparent by the utter lack of his films available to stream. I was all set to blow out a number of streaming recommendations starring Lee… until I looked to see which of his 281 credits were on Netflix. You’re basically stuck with his small role in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, a 2013 film called Night Train to Lisbon, family comedy A Feast at Midnight, 1970’s adventure film Caravans, apparent knock-off The Tale of the Mummy, and The Bloody Judge (which, OK, I’m intrigued). Not exactly a showcase of his best work—Netflix doesn’t even throw us a bone with delightfully campy The Howling II: My Sister Is a Werewolf. So, instead of the perfect Christopher Lee streaming weekend, here are some other recommendations new to the usual streaming suspects.

Netflix

Orange Is the New Black (Season 3)

Netflix’s best original series to date is back with 13 new episodes from Litchfield Penitentiary. Like most quality television, we left off the season with many changing dynamics. Piper and Alex are on dicier terms then ever. Daya and Bennett’s relationship is starting to crumble. Red has hit rock bottom. Vee’s escape is bound to have serious repercussions on the remaining inmates. The emotional and dramatic stakes couldn’t be much higher for the start of season 3, which is sure to provide more shakeups, new characters, and more insight to the characters we already love. Orange Is the New Black was quick to becoming one of the best dramas AND comedies on television, and I doubt that’s going to change. If you somehow haven’t caught up, all three seasons are now streaming on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The Cobbler (Thomas McCarthy, 2014)
Happy Valley (Amir Bar-Lev, 2014)
Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy, 2014)
Primer (Shane Carruth, 2004)
Rosewater (Jon Stewart, 2014)

Amazon Prime

The Island of Dr. Moreau (John Frankenheimer & Richard Stanley, 1996)

If you’ve been watching Orphan Black, you’ll know that H.G. Wells’s influential science fiction novel has played an integral part. There are probably better excuses to watch John Frankenheimer’s (slash Richard Stanley’s) trouble 1996 adaptation, but I’m going to run with that. When the film was released it was heavily panned and it’s reputation hasn’t exactly grown over time—but can we still hold out on a critical subculture rediscovery? The Island of Dr. Moreau is undoubtedly a messy film, but it is also weird enough be noticed. Featuring one of Marlon Brando’s last performances, well after he had reached his tipping point, the larger than life icon (and quite large at this point, too) has to be seen to be believed. You also have ultra-serious, ultra-crazy Val Kilmer. It killed the career of one director who was replaced by a well respected filmmaker trying to make a comeback. Oh, and half-human half-animal hybrid monsters. The cinematic car crash that became The Island of Dr. Moreau is well documented, but maybe worthy another look.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Life of Crime (Daniel Schechter, 2013)
Murder of a Cat (Gillian Greene, 2014)
The Paper Chase (James Bridges, 1973)
Repo: The Genetic Opera (Darren Lynn Bousman, 2008)
Words and Pictures (Fred Schepisi, 2013)

Fandor

Alive Inside (Michael Rossato-Bennett, 2014)

Fandor has built its reputation on providing foreign and classic films with their partnership with the Criterion Collection, but this week I want to highlight some recent films that are new to the streaming service. Alive Inside is a emotionally captivating, under-seen doc from last year about a non-profit’s attempt to bring music to those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Based on recent medical studies, music has shown to spark memory and reestablish identity, albeit briefly. In the film, a number of retirement home residents take part in the organization’s outreach, and the results are stunning. To see, time after time, men and women recapture something from their past from something so simple is extraordinary. Alive Inside shows the power of music as clearly as any film ever has, thus showing the great power of documentary film. Reading a study on this topic would be enlightening, but there is nothing like seeing the eyes of these individuals yourself.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Builder (Rick Alverson, 2010)
A Common Enemy (Jaime Otero Romani, 2013)
Concerning Violence (Göran Olsson, 2014)
Harmony and Me (Bob Byington, 2009)
Farewell, Herr Schwarz (Yael Reuveny, 2014)

Video On-Demand

Hungry Hearts (Saverio Costanzo, 2014)

Starring Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher, Hungry Hearts is a psychological drama about a young couple’s emotional strain following the birth of their first child. Having a child is obviously one of the most wonderful moments in a parent’s life, but it is also one of the most stressful. Not only is there now a small thing that is set to dominate your life, each individual choice you make when raising this child could have incredible consequences. Hungry Hearts plays with this inherent suspense quite well with brilliant performances from its up-and-coming leads. When we reviewed the film earlier this month, we said it is “a harrowing and hard to watch film, but the sincerity of its performances and the tantalizing and rather unexplored content it delves into, make for the sort of film that is impossible to turn away from.” Hungry Hearts is available on VOD at the same time as its theatrical release.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
The DUFF (Ari Sandel, 2015)
Madame Bovery (Sophie Barthes, 2014)
Red Army (Gabe Polsky, 2014)
Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno & Laura Nix, 2014)

Happy Sense8 day! The newest creation from the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski (prolific television writer with credits including He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Murder She Wrote, and Babylon 5) is now available in all its 12-episode trippy glory to stream on Netflix. For the Wachowskis, it is a long-coming welcome to television and should be a natural fit with their complicated worlds and big ideas. I’ll be honest and say that I’ve watched the trailer a few times and still am not quite sure exactly what to expect or what is going on—it has something to do with a group of eight strangers who have some sort of neural cosmic link to each other. I’m more than willing to let the sci-fi concepts to take me to weird and unexplainable places. For Netflix, it is yet another example of giving free rein to auteur storytellers—let’s hope the results warrant the trend.

Netflix

Li’l Quinquin (Bruno Dumont, 2014)

Later this week, Way Too Indie will be ranking our favorite movies of the year so far. Bruno Dumont’s Li’l Quinquin has a chance to be on this list—though it would make any list on the strangest films of the year. In rural France, human remains begin turning up inside of dead cows. Commandant Van der Weyden and his partner Carpentier are on the case, but don’t think this is your standard crime procedural. With Dumont’s sinister comic streak and a whole lot of uncomfortable moments, Li’l Quinquin is addictively bizarre. Originally designed as a television miniseries, it has been turn into a 200 minute film—with its length working in part with the offbeat narrative. If you have the time and a little patience, Li’l Quinquin is definitely a unique experience.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Apocalypse Now & Apocalypse Now: Redux (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
The ‘Burbs (Joe Dante, 1989)
Hits (David Cross, 2014)
The Others (Alejandro Amenábar, 2001)
Y Tu Mamá También (Alfonso Cuarón, 2001)

Amazon Prime Instant

Troll 2 (Claudio Fragasso, 1990)

Let’s keep this weird trend going with a much different film, often considered the worst movie ever made. If you don’t think bad movies can be a lot of fun to watch, you haven’t seen Troll 2, a delightfully inexplicable horror film centered around a young boy’s experience in the haunted town of Nilbog. It is a perfect film to invite some friends over, grab some adult beverages, kick back and have a great time. If you have the nerve, you can also check out Troll on Amazon Prime, though it isn’t required viewing—Troll 2 was taken as a title as a cash-grab off of the moderately successful low-budget original, without any real care to make any connections.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Roman Holiday (William Wyler, 1953)
Seven Psychopaths (Martin McDonagh, 2012)
The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
Sid & Nancy (Alex Cox, 1986)
Something Wild (Jonathan Demme, 1986)

Fandor

Beauty and the Beast (Jean Cocteau, 1946)

Now to get to some serious cinema, Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast is one of the most beautiful and magical films ever made. The director, who was also a poet and cartoonist, creates a spectacular world, one just as vibrant as the animated version (and without the need for talking teapots). A new live-action Beauty and the Beast is now in production, but I can’t imagine it doing anything better than this original. Though its practical effects and amazing makeup designs, the film has both an eerie and fantastical mood. Like many offerings on Fandor, Beauty and the Beast is only available for a limited time, expiring after June 14. Also available is Fandor’s newest Spotlight, called “Adventures in Animation,” highlighting bold visions in animation from around the world. Among the selections are An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Alois Nebel, Kirikou the Sorceress and The Pettifogger.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Black Orpheus (Marcel Camus, 1959)
Breaking Through (Cindy L. Abel, 2013)
Donkey Skin (Jacques Demy, 1970)
Killer Cop (Luciano Ercoli, 1975)
Uncertain Terms (Nathan Silver, 2014)

Video On-Demand

Jupiter Ascending (Andy & Lana Wachowski, 2015)

The release of Sense8 this week is peculiar, though perhaps necessary coincidence. The Wachowski’s other work from this year, Jupiter Ascending, was by most metrics an utter failure, but it is an interesting one. If you read the bad reviews and wrote the film off, it’s worth a look for its huge action set pieces and the unique voice of its auteurs. And there’s Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne’s whacked-out performance, which can be duplicated and ridiculed, but must be seen first-hand to be believed. No doubt, the Wachowski’s have delivered better work than Jupiter Ascending (perhaps their new show available in the same week is true of that), but the filmmaking duo continue to deserve attention.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Focus (Glenn Ficarra & John Requa, 2015)
McFarland, USA (Niki Caro, 2015)
Ned Rifle (Hal Hartley, 2014)

With so many streaming services around these days, it’s tough to stand out. Some have to rely on a huge catalog, original programming, hard-to-see titles or a specific focus. Amazon Prime is trying something a little different, specifically catering to the company’s larger scope. Before Amazon went deep into the streaming game, the major benefits of its Prime service was free 2-day shipping on all its products. Now, residents of 14 metro areas who are members of the streaming service can get free same-day shipping on certain product orders over $35. It is an interesting perk that no other streaming platform could offer. So, while you non-Amazon Prime subscribers are waiting until Monday for your latest order to be delivered, check out what you can watch this weekend on various services.

Netflix

Hot Girls Wanted (Jill Bauer & Ronna Gradus, 2015)

Produced and narrated by Rashida Jones, Hot Girls Wanted is an original Netflix documentary that takes a full look at amateur online pornography and its appeal toward the “girl next door” woman. This material is in good hands with Bauer & Gradus, whose last film Sexy Baby looks at porn’s greater influence on mainstream society and how that affects young girls. Hot Girls Wanted profiles teenagers who have participated in this new industry at differing levels, some who see it as a better alternative than slinging fast food while others try to find an escape. While Netflix has gotten more attention for their original series, and will get even more for their original features in the coming months, their work acquiring interesting documentary films also needs recognition. In the past few years, Netflix became the exclusive home to Oscar nominees The Square and Virunga, let alone the platform the service provides to thousands of other true stories that are difficult to find in theaters.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Antarctica: A Year on Ice (Anthony Powell, 2013)
Before I Go to Sleep (Rowan Joffe, 2014)
Bill Nye the Science Guy (Series)
The Boxtrolls (Graham Annable & Anthony Stacchi, 2014)
Graceland (Seasons 1 & 2)

Fandor

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928)

An absolute landmark film from the silent era, Dreyer’s masterwork is a stunning and horrific telling of the events leading to Joan of Arc’s execution. The film perfectly plays as a silent film (what some may see as a limitation) by capturing performance in closeups, with tragic film figure Maria Falconetti’s all-time great, groundbreaking turn in the foreground. Both emotionally raw and philosophically insightful, the film was among the first examples of the power of cinematic storytelling and remains so today. The Passion of Joan of Arc is in the pantheon of cinema, a must-see for all film fans. If you want to check out The Passion of Joan of Arc on Fandor, please remember that many of the site’s offerings are only available for a limited time – this masterpiece (as well as those listed below) will have to be seen by Sunday, June 7.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960)
Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
The Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir, 1939)
Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
Tokyo Story (Yasujirô Ozu, 1953)

Video On-Demand

Good Kill (Andrew Niccol, 2014)

Can we talk about Ethan Hawke for a second? Once set to be your typical handsome but disaffected movie star, the actor has made himself a fine career as one of the preeminent indie leading men. His work with Richard Linklater aside, the low-budget genre films he chooses to make have been increasingly interesting—from horror flicks Sinister and The Purge to one of this year’s weirdest films Predestination. He now re-teams with Andrew Niccol (Gattaca) in this look at drone warfare. In the film, Hawke stars as a drone “pilot” who begins to contemplate the ethics of his mission, whether he is doing necessary work or making the complicated issues even more complex. The stressful work ultimately creates even more problems with his wife and kids. You can stream Good Kill on VOD while it is in limited release.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Barely Lethal (Kyle Newman 2015)
Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, 2014)
The Loft (Erik Van Looy, 2014)
Results (Andrew Bujalski, 2015)

Catch ‘Em While You Can!

These titles will no longer be streaming on June 1:

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola, 1992)
Hatchet II (Adam Green, 2010)
Last Action Hero (John McTiernan, 1993)
Rain Man (Barry Levinson, 1988)
The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)
Syriana (Stephen Gaghan, 2005)
Tank Girl (Rachel Talalay, 1995)
The Rocketeer (Joe Johnston, 1991)
The Triplets of Belleville (Sylvain Chomet, 2003)
Waking Life (Richard Linklater, 2001)

There is a darker side to internet streaming. Internet piracy has had a long tradition lurking around the uncouth reaches of the web, and it’s not going away any time soon. Earlier this week, a developing story from Engadget showed how piracy (briefly) became a little more accessible. Streaming app Popcorn Time, which allows users to easily browse and stream many new bootleg films and television shows, launched a web browser-based service. Unsurprisingly, it has been promptly taken down, though for interesting reasons you can see in the story. For film and television options you can (legally) stream this extra long Memorial Day weekend, see below!

Netflix

Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014)

Céline Sciamma’s follow-up to Water Lillies and Tomboy has an unfortunate name too similar to last year’s critically acclaimed indie juggernaut, but it shouldn’t be ignored. Girlhood follows a young teen, Marieme, struggling to find her place in the lower-class suburbs of Paris. Abused by her older brother, she turns to a group of tough older girls who shape her identity and bring her into adulthood. It is an incredibly expansive film in both story and emotional impact, spanning a shorter time than other coming-of-age films, but with a tremendous amount of character development. As Marieme quickly grows up, her story takes conventional turns that are told in very surprising ways. Because of this, Girlhood feels both completely tied to this character’s reality but also universal – the best goal for any coming-of-age drama. Considering Marieme is a lower-class black girl from Paris this is quite extraordinary.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
American Dad (Season 9)
The Blue Room (Mathieu Amalric, 2014)
In the Bedroom (Todd Field, 2001)
Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)
Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) (Stand-Up Comedy Special)

Amazon Prime

Laggies (Lynn Shelton, 2014)

What happened to Lynn Shelton’s Laggies? Despite positive reviews, the director’s highest profile work came and went quickly through theaters, without nearly as much fanfare as Humpday or Your Sister’s Sister. Well, if you were one of many that missed it in its short run, it is now available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers. The film explores how Megan’s (Keira Knightley) “quarter-life crisis” brings her to a relationship with teen-aged Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her father (Sam Rockwell). We saw the film at TIFF last year and thought the film showed off “excellent chemistry between its cast, giving off the authentic vibe that we’re used to seeing in Shelton’s work.”

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
The Aviator (Martin Scorsese, 2004)
Manny (Leon Gast & Ryan Moore, 2014)
The Prince (Brian A Miller, 2014)
Struck by Lightning (Brian Dannelly, 2012)

Fandor

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (Erik Sharkey, 2013)

The movie poster has become a dying art – it might actually already be decomposing. Recent profile doc Drew: The Man Behind the Poster explores the time when a movie poster was the best marketing tool for the cinema and so much more. Even if you don’t know the name Drew Struzan, you’ve seen his work – he’s become world-famous for the poster designs for the Star Wars series, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future. This film lets you meet the man, see how he works and how his work has directly effected the film industry. Included to heap their praises on Struzan are Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, George Lucas and more. As a bonus, Fandor also has a short doc available called Behind the Poster, a look at the “Polish Poster School,” where some of the most bizarre film posters have been created.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Birdemic: Shock and Terror (James Nguyen, 2010)
Danton (Andrzej Wajda, 1983)
Ivan the Terrible: Parts I & II (Sergei Eisenstein, 1945)
Lola Montès (Max Ophüls, 1955)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (Paul Schrader, 1985)

Video On-Demand

Oculus (Mike Flanagan, 2013)

Among the most underrated films from last year, don’t be fooled by the corny high concept of Oculus. In fact, this horror flick about a haunted mirror is scary, spellbinding, smart, and one of the craziest films to come out in recent years. It is an amazing achievement from director Mike Flanagan, who also co-wrote the script and edited the film – with those three aspects of Oculus are working on all cylinders. We’ve had a ton of content on the site the past two years on this film, so you should check out our TIFF 2013 festival review, our theatrical review and interview with Flanagan after you rent the film on-demand.

Other titles new on VOD this week:
American Sniper (Clint Eastwood, 2014)
Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2014)
Seventh Son (Sergey Bodrov, 2014)
Strange Magic (Gary Rydstrom, 2015)

In a wildly unprecedented move, Netflix has decided to release its next original series one episode at a time, week-to-week. How cutting edge of them! It was announced this week that their series Between, a plague thriller where no one lives past the age of 21, would shun the network’s binge experience model for a more traditional release schedule. It remains to be seen if this opens more doors for Netflix to try out multiple release approaches concurrently (maybe not a bad idea given all the content they are putting out now), but if you are feeling a little anxious about an upcoming lack of binge-worthy films and TV, have no fear. Check out what’s new to all the streaming platforms below!

Netflix

Rabbit Hole (John Cameron Mitchell, 2010)

Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as grieving parents, Rabbit Hole is one of the most devastating and emotionally complex American films in recent years. Coming off of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus (two very good films), director John Cameron Mitchell showed unequivocally that he could tell a mainstream drama with just as much care to character and theme. The film delicately grasps the inner struggle and effects on personal relationships after a tragic event. It never asks for melodramatic, cheap tears, instead relying on two intricate character portraits and very good performances to make you all weepy. Also, for fans of sudden star Miles Teller, he is featured in the first role that got him notice—as a teen partly responsible for the tragedy. It is a quiet and powerful performance from the young Teller, very different from the persona we now know, and the first step in his promising career. If you somehow have missed this wonderful film (or avoided it because of its heavy content), grab the tissues and watch it now on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler, 2013)
Late Phases (Adrián García Bogliano, 2014)
The Liberator (Alberto Arvelo, 2013)
Maidan (Sergei Loznitsa, 2014)
Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation (Stefan Haupt, 2012)

Amazon Prime

Art and Craft (Sam Cullman & Jennifer Grausman, 2014)

One of the stranger doc profiles from last year, Sam Cullman and Jennifer Grausman’s Art and Craft is an intimate portrait of Mark A. Landis, possibly the most notorious art forger ever. The weird thing about Landis, though, is that he doesn’t rip off famous pieces of art for fortune, but much more complicated reasons. The doc gets a lot of access to Landis and his process, as well as the people he’s duped over the years. The film really challenges its viewer by presenting a very talented man who is using his gifts in ethically grey ways. Landis is also a very sad and perhaps sick man, adding more complex levels to this portrait and his actions. Ultimately, Art and Craft will make you reconsider questions around artistic license, forgery and intent. For more thoughts on the film, check out our review from earlier this year. Art and Craft is an Amazon Prime exclusive, so you won’t find it streaming anywhere else.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Defiance (Season 2)
Slugterra: Slug Flu Showdown (Logan McPherson, 2014)
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas (Tyler Perry, 2014)

Fandor

Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)

With the 2015 Cannes Film Festival is full swing, Fandor is using its huge selection of Criterion Collection films to highlight past winners at the festival. Tarkovsky’s moody and striking Solaris is among them. The nearly three-hour epic is the story of a psychologist sent into space and the effects that loneliness, distance and timelessness have on his psyche. Often regarded as one of the greatest and most thoughtful science fiction films ever, Solaris won the Grand Jury prize and esteemed Palm d’or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. If you’re looking for a great double feature, it can be excellently paired with Christopher Nolan’s recent epic Interstellar, which is available for rent on VOD. Now my weekly reminder: many of Fandor’s selections are only available for a limited time, and Solaris will be streaming until May 24, so don’t wait around if you are interested in this one. Other selections in Fandor’s Cannes collection are Antonioni’s L’eclisse, underseen Lars von Trier Europa, and a few other titles listed below.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1991)
Giuseppe Makes a Movie (Adam Rifkin, 2014)
Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, 1964)
A Tale of Winter (Eric Rohmer, 1992)
Z (Costa-Gavras, 1969)

Video On-Demand

Slow West (John Maclean, 2015)

Released on VOD the same day as it hits theaters, John Maclean’s feature debut Slow West has garnered incredibly high praise from critics throughout its festival run. When we saw the Western throwback at Tribeca, we said “[Slow West] is the perfect example of a first time filmmaker who knows what he wants and how to invoke talent, making for a visionary and excellently executed film.” The film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as a teenager travelling west in search of the woman he loves, accompanied by a mysterious man (Michael Fassbender). Now you have the chance to see what is bound to be one of the best indies of 2015 whether its playing in a theater near you or not.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
John Wick (Chad Stahelski & David Leitch, 2014)
Maggie (Henry Hobson, 2015)
Still Alice (Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, 2014)

It seems like Netflix has released a new original series about every week. Well, it’s not going to slow up any time soon, with another new series out today and four more scheduled to be released over the next two months. Their newest series is Grace and Frankie, less publicized but with a stellar cast including Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen. There is a lot of talent behind the camera, as well, with co-creators Marta Fran Kauffman (best known as the co-creator Dream On and Friends) and Howard J. Morris (co-executive producer on Home Improvement and According to Jim). In the next few weeks, Between, The Wachowskis’ Sense8 and Wet Hot American Summer will all be ready to be binge watched. Oh, and Orange Is the New Black comes back for its third season on June 12th. All of this is to say, you better catch up on Daredevil and Bloodline before it’s too late. But if you’ve looking for movies to stream, check out these new to streaming titles this weekend.

Netflix

Jimi: All Is by My Side (John Ridley, 2013)

In a strong year for unconventional biopics, Jimi: All Is by My Side was one of the most striking and most overlooked. The directorial debut of 12 Years a Slave screenwriter and American Crime creator John Ridley, it stars Andre Benjamin (one half of Outkast) as music icon Jimi Hendrix. Like many of the best recent biopics, the film focuses on a small part of Hendrix’s life instead of the full life treatment. What makes the film so surprising, though, is its lack of narrative form. Instead, it is all about mood while telling the rise-to-fame story through its sharp and unique editing style – the film’s co-directors earlier work includes The Tree of Life, Moneyball and 28 Days Later, which should give you a good idea how Jimi: All Is by My Side feels vitally different from your standard musical biopic.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Anita (Freida Lee Mock, 2013)
Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
The Homesman (Tommy Lee Jones, 2014)
The Sixth Sense (M. Night Shyamalan, 1999)
Winter Sleep (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2014)

Amazon Prime

The People vs. George Lucas (Alexandre O. Philippe, 2010)

With all the Star Wars hype the past few weeks (only to get more deafening by the time The Force Awakens finally hits theaters this December), this is a perfect time to check out a very interesting little documentary about the franchise’s strong voice. The People vs. George Lucas chronicles the love/hate relationship the auteur has had with his millions of fans, looking specifically at the many controversies surrounding Star Wars and how they’ve been received. It is a surprisingly balanced film, however, correctly tuning this complicated relationship. The film also boasts a great variety of voices, from popular authors, filmmakers, bloggers and everyday regular fans.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog, 2005)
Men in Black II (Barry Sonnenfeld, 2002)
Payback (Brian Helgeland, 1999)
The Puffy Chair (Jay & Mark Duplass, 2005)
The Real Blonde (Tom DiCillo, 1997)

Fandor

The Big City (Satyajit Ray, 1963)

The work of Satyajit Ray is a complete blind spot for me, possibly my biggest. For those like me, this is a great time to be introduced into the prolific Indian auteur’s best work, with restored versions of his films just released and an announcement that the films will show in 4k in New York and Los Angeles this summer. If you don’t live near our two largest cities or just don’t want to wait, you can stream The Big City on Fandor, available until Sunday, May 17. The streaming site also put together a new Spotlight series, called “Throwback NYC,” which looks at the vibrant city through the years. Films in that series include film movement doc Blank City, On the Bowery and The Vanishing City.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The House of Seven Corpses (Paul Harrison, 1974)
The Match Factory Girl (Aki Kaurismäki, 1990)
My Sassy Girl (Kwak Jae-oung, 2001)
Osaka Elegy (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1936)
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Mikio Naruse, 1960)

Video On-Demand

What We Do in the Shadows (Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi, 2014)

One of the funniest films of the year so far, What We Do in the Shadows is now available On-Demand after its limited release. Set up like a documentary following a group of vampires in New Zealand, it brilliantly spoofs the new cultural obsession with these creatures of the night. The film is directed by Jemaine Clement (one half of the amazing Flight of the Conchords) and Taika Waititit (Boy, Eagle vs. Shark), blending their weird and smart comic sensibilities. You can now rent the film a few weeks before it will be released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story (Dave LaMattina & Chad N. Walker, 2014)
Lost River (Ryan Gosling, 2014)
Mr. Turner (Mike Leigh, 2014)
Selma (Ava DuVernay, 2014)
Welcome to Me (Shira Piven, 2014)

The end of the month is always a sad time for streaming sites. As the calendar page turns, many films and television shows vanish into the physical media ether. This weekend may be a good time to catch up, re-watch and discover these films for obviously the last time they are conveniently streamable. Check out some of the best titles that will be disappearing from Netflix below. (Oh, there’s some good new titles streaming this week that you’ll want to check out, too…)

Netflix

Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright, 2007)

Possibly the funniest film of the Frost-Pegg-Wright films, Hot Fuzz sets it sight on ’80s and ’90s buddy action films to hilarious effect. Simon Pegg plays big-time city cop Nicholas Angel who is reassigned to the sleepy (and elderly) town of Sandford, Gloucestershire. His wish for some action eventually comes through when residents start getting murdered by a hooded man. Like all of Wright’s work, it works on two separately amazing levels—it is a balls-to-the-wall action film, as satisfying as any big-time Hollywood explosion flick, but also an intensely loving send-up of them.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Fed Up (Stephanie Soechtig, 2014)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Ana Lily Amirpour, 2014)
Planet Earth: The Complete Collection (Series)
They Came Together (David Wain, 2014)

Amazon Prime

Son of a Gun (Julius Avery, 2014)

Australia has quickly become a haven for gritty and violent action films—Son of a Gun is a decent entry into this burgeoning genre. The film stars Brandon Thwaites (Oculus, The Signal) as a young kid who ends up in jail for a minor crime. There, he becomes close with Brendan Lynch (Ewen McGregor), the island’s most notorious bank robber. The film’s first half is a stylish prison film before becoming an over-the-top action flick. The fibers don’t totally meet up, but Son of a Gun is definitely fresh and fun.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Noah (Darren Aronofsky, 2014)
Sons of Anarchy (Season 7)
Still Life (Uberto Pasolini, 2013)

Fandor

The Gold Rush (Charles Chaplin, 1925)

One of Chaplin’s funniest films (which automatically makes it one of the funniest films of all time), The Gold Rush is simply master silent filmmaking. In this one, the lovable scamp finds himself in the Yukon Territory where gold has been struck. It’s a brilliant film throughout, with some of the most iconic gags of all time. The film is being released in their Criterion “Compare and Contrast” Collection, available until May 3. This group of films looks at interesting remakes, adaptations and re-imaginings from their Criterion selections. As part of this, you can see both versions of Chaplin’s film: the 1925 original and the 1942 re-release with Chaplin’s narration. The 1942 version gets a lot of flack, but Chaplin shows off the expert word-smithing that defined his later-period films.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Almost Man (Martin Lund, 2012)
Floating Weeds (Yasujirô Ozu, 1959)
The Lower Depths (Jean Renoir, 1936)
The Lower Depths (Akira Kurosawa, 1957)
Safety Last! (Fred C. Newmeyer & Sam Taylor, 1923)

Remember! Most films added to Fandor are only there for a limited time, so don’t wait!

Catch’Em While You Can, Expiring Soon

These titles are expiring from Netflix on April 30:

Airplane! (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker & Jerry Zucker, 1980)
Boys Don’t Cry (Kimberly Peirce, 1999)
The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson, 2008)
Fantastic Voyage (Richard Fleischer, 1966)
Ichi the Killer (Takashi Miike, 2001)
Life Is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni, 1997)
Robocop (Paul Verhoeven, 1987)
Romancing the Stone (Robert Zemeckis, 1984)
Sabrina (Billy Wilder, 1954)
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (Series)
The Secret of NIMH (Don Bluth, 1982)
Valkyrie (Bryan Singer, 2008)

For those of you smart enough not to have cable and unlucky enough that your parents aren’t HBO subscribers, you’re now in luck! HBO has now officially announced HBO Now, the standalone streaming service without being tied to a cable provider. Apple currently has a 3-month exclusive window, so if you want it sooner than later, you’ll have to stream on the web or through an Apple TV. For $15/month, you’ll get access to dozens of HBO original shows and hundreds of movies. Not to be outdone, Showtime quickly announced their plans for a standalone version of their Showtime Anytime app. Oh, and Sony launched Playstation Vue, which offers up to 85 streaming channels. They also debuted their first original show, Powers, which stars Sharlto Copley as a superhero criminal investigator. It’s a good time to be in the streaming game! While you decide if it’s time for you to cut the cord, here are some new titles streaming this weekend:

Netflix

Force Majeure (Ruben Östlund, 2014)

One of the best films of 2014, Force Majeure involves an idyllic family vacation that goes horribly wrong after an avalanche and a quick decision. The film is one of the most brutally honest films about marriage and masculinity, but with an incredibly funny black streak. If you missed this film last year or ignored it due to its Oscar snub, this is a perfect time to check it out.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
3rd Rock from the Sun (complete series)
Bloodline (Season 1)
Life Itself (Steve James, 2014)
Saw (James Wan, 2004)
The Way He Looks (Daniel Ribeiro, 2014)

Amazon Prime

Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets (Florian Habicht, 2014)

Fans of Pulp and indie rock will love this quirky profile and concert film. The film is less of a history of the “Common People” band and more of a love letter to the band’s final UK performance. With frontman Jarvis Cocker’s strange personality and a number of interviews with odd superfans, the Pulp doc is as hip and kooky as the band’s catchy tunes.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
God’s Not Dead (Harold Cronk, 2014)
Jamie Marks Is Dead (Carter Smith, 2014)
The Zero Theorem (Terry Gilliam, 2013)

Video On-Demand

Song of the Sea (Tomm Moore, 2014)

The Oscar nominated animated film that nobody saw, here is your time to change that. Tomm Moore’s sparkling follow-up to The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea is about a young Irish boy dealing with the untimely death of his mother – and his odd sister who may happen to be a mystical sea creature. The film is both light and heartbreaking, with a wonderful story built from Irish myths and traditions. It also has one of the most adorable dogs you’ll see in any film, which makes Song of the Sea worth a watch on its own.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Annie (Will Gluck, 2014)
Top Five (Chris Rock, 2014)
Tracers (Daniel Benmayor, 2015)
Spring (Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, 2015)

According to a recent report by CNN, 40% of households that have cable, also subscribe to a streaming service. As many Americans are cutting the cord in favor of Netflix, Amazon or Hulu, there are still many out there that use these services to supplement their regular TV watching. No denying it, we’re all streaming, but don’t think you have to do all the work. We’ve picked out the best of what you can stream this weekend.

Netflix

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Dean DeBlois, 2014)

The follow-up to 2010’s meg hit How to Train Your Dragon may have lost out on the Academy Award, but it is a big win for Netflix. The sequel expands this charming world, adds new characters to the mix, and enhances the stunning animation and flight cinematography for a bigger and better experience. Also, who couldn’t love Toothless, one of the cutest animated characters ever created. If you somehow neglected to see the film in theaters, this is the perfect chance to catch up with Hiccup and the gang.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
After the Fall (Saar Klein, 2014)
Archer (Season 5)
Cesar Chavez (Diego Luna, 2014)
Crash (Paul Haggis, 2004)
Life of Riley (Alain Resnais, 2014)

Amazon Prime

Back Issues: The Hustler Magazine Story (Michael Lee Nirenberg, 2014)

For (ahem) fans of the popular pornographic empire, there is now a definitive biography for your viewing pleasure. First-time filmmaker Michael Lee Nirenberg, the son of an original art director for the magazine, gives us a look into the humble beginnings in the night club world to a world-wide million dollar corporation. Featuring interviews from editors, writers, models, cartoonists, even lawyers, the film has an incredible scope and insight. No matter your stance on the product or pornography in general, Larry Flynt has always been a remarkable cultural figure and worthy of more study.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime:
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (Phil Alden Robinson, 2014)
Center Stage: Turn It Up (Steven Jacobson, 2014)
The Single Moms Club (Tyler Perry, 2014)

Video On-Demand

The Liberator (Alberto Arvelo, 2013)

Édgar Ramírez stars as complex historical figure Simón Bolivar in this biopic about his early years as a liberator in South America. The man led over 100 battles to drive Spain out of his territories, a remarkable achievement in the history of war. A profile of Bolivar is long overdue, and Ramírez plays him with as much charisma as one would expect.
After a limited release in 2014, the film is now available on DVD and to rent on demand. We saw The Liberator at the 2014 L.A. Film Fest and said the film “earns its place easily among other war and revolution behemoths like Braveheart or Saving Private Ryan.”

Other titles new on VOD this week:
The Cobbler (Thomas McCarthy, 2014)
Cymbeline (Michael Almereyda, 2014)
Son of a Gun (Julius Avery, 2014)

Another week, another Netflix original series dropping for us all to bingewatch. But that isn’t all worth noting, with a number of new films and classics coming to or returning to streaming services this week. Check out the new batch of selections from Netflix, Amazon Prime and VOD below.

Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 1)

Originally developed by Tina Fey as an NBC pilot, the first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will be released by Netflix on Friday. The show stars The Office vet Ellie Kemper as the title character in an excellent premise for a series: Kimmy Schmidt is a beautiful young woman struggling to survive in the big city (you know, like every television character ever), but she’s unique having recently been rescued from a doomsday cult living off-grid. There have been a number of excellent dramas revolving around cults in recent years, but the prospect of a comedy taking on this usually very serious subject has a lot of potential. The show also co-stars 30 Rock favorite Jane Krakowski as a wealthy woman who hires Kimmy to be her child’s nanny.

Stream on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 1 on Netflix

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The ABCs of Death 2 (Anthology, 2014)
Billy Madison (Tamra Davis, 1995)
Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
Harmontown (Neil Berkeley, 2014)
You Can Count on Me (Kenneth Lonergan, 2000)

Amazon Prime

Listen Up Philip (Alex Ross Perry, 2014)

Overshadowed by a great year in movies, Alex Ross Perry’s Listen Up Philip one was one of the best comedies of 2014. With three excellent performances from Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, and Jonathan Pryce, the film follows an egotistical writer and his relationships with his girlfriend and his writing mentor-idol. Its wry, biting edge is unique from the mainstream broad comedies at the multiplexes, so if you are looking for something a little more character driven and ruthless in the portrayals of these characters, Listen Up Philip comes as a strong recommendation. Listen Up Philip is currently exclusive to Amazon Prime, so you won’t find it streaming elsewhere.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Donnie Brasco (Mike Newell, 1997)
Drunk History (season 2)
The Kill Team (Dan Krauss, 2013)
The Nanny Diaries (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2007)
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

Video On-Demand

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (Francis Lawrence, 2014)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 was the highest grossing film of 2014 and hits blu-ray and VOD March 6. Its follow up and the final film of the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, is predicted to possibly be among the top grossing films of 2015. Even as only the first part of a two-part film plenty of you will be needing your fix of Katniss and Peeta to tide you over until Part 2’s release on November 20.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Faults (Riley Stearns, 2014)
Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, 2014)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Francis Lawrence, 2014)
Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (Daniel Alfredson, 2015)
The Last of Robin Hood (Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, 2013)

Let’s be honest… your entire weekend is already booked watching the third season of Netflix’s House of Cards. I mean, seriously, now that Frank Underwood is in the oval office, we can’t wait to see what happens next! But, after you binge watch that, finishing some time on Friday night, you have a whole weekend ahead of you to stream even more! Check out the newest streaming picks on Netflix, Amazon Prime and VOD below.

Netflix

Open Windows (Nacho Vigalondo, 2014)

With just three feature films, Nacho Vigalondo has already established himself as one of the premiere indie genre filmmakers working today. His latest, Open Windows steps away from his science fiction roots but amps up the style in this strange and edgy thriller. The film is told entirely through the computer cam of Jill Stoddard (Sasha Grey, The Girlfriend Experience and *ahem* other films) as she’s being watched by jilted fan (Elijah Wood). While this may seem like a small-set way to tell a film, Vigalondo takes it to some wild and dark places. We saw Open Windows at the 2014 SXSW film festival and loved it.

Stream Open Windows on Netflix

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
1,000 Times Good Night (Erik Poppe, 2013)
The Heart Machine (Zachary Wigon, 2014)
In Bloom (Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Groß, 2013)
RoboCop (José Padilha, 2014)
A Summer’s Tale (Eric Rohmer, 1996)

Amazon Prime

Orphan Black Season 2

Before the critically acclaimed Orphan Black comes back for its third season on April 18, catch up on its first two seasons. House of Cards is definitely going to dominate the headlines and social conversation this weekend, but Orphan Black is far and away the better show. Tatiana Maslany is phenomenal as Sarah Manning and her artificially created sisterhood of clones. In its second season, we become closer to Sarah, Cosima, Alison and Katja, meet new clones, and learn more about the mysterious Dyad Group. The show is intriguing, tense, funny, dark and action-packed—one of the best on TV and a must watch.

Stream Orphan Black Season 2 on Amazon Prime

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Believe Me (Will Bakke, 2014)
Clerks II (Kevin Smith, 2006)
Finding Neverland (Marc Forster, 2004)
Hannibal Season 2 (available February 28)
Jamie Marks Is Dead (Carter Smith, 2014)

Video On-Demand

Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)

Fresh off its three Academy Award wins, including the surprising pick for Best Editing, you can check out Whiplash on Video On-Demand. Starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, Whiplash is set in the competitive world of classic jazz music, pushing the boundaries of what we expect artists to endure for their craft. Teller and Simmons are both stunning in their roles of student and teacher, full of nuance and effort. The film is exhilarating in its many musical scenes while being performed believably—the use of both quick edits and medium shots give you full view of the performance with incredible movement. Whiplash is as good as you’ve heard and should be seen with the sound turned way up.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Beyond the Lights (Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2014)
Big Hero 6 (Don Hall & Chris Williams, 2014)
Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg, 2014)
The Salvation (Kristian Levring, 2014)
Wild Canaries (Lawrence Michael Levine, 2014)

Catch ’em while you can!

These films are set to expire from Netflix on February 28th

Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Das Boot: The Director’s Cut (Wolfgang Petersen, 1981)
Dumb and Dumber (The Farrelly Brothers, 1994)
The Elephant Man (David Lynch, 1980)
Fright Night (Tom Holland, 1985)
Glengarry Glen Ross (James Foley, 1992)
Leaving Las Vegas (Mike Figgis, 1995)
Rachel Getting Married (Jonathan Demme, 2008)
Seven (David Fincher, 1995)
Thief (Michael Mann, 1981)

It’s cold outside, so stay in this weekend. Also, do we really all need to go see Hot Tub Time Machine 2?

Instead, here are some movies newly available to stream on Netflix, VOD, and Amazon Prime.

Netflix

The Overnighters (Jesse Moss, 2014)

With the Oscars this weekend, this is a lovely opportunity to see just how wrong they were with their Best Documentary selections. No offense to those nominated films, but there wasn’t a doc last year as thrilling, compelling, or surprising as The Overnighters. Filmed in the oil boom town Williston, North Dakota, The Overnighters tackles complex economic and spiritual questions surrounding a church that has opened its doors to shelter those who can’t find work or afford increasing property costs. It is also a stunning portrait of Jay Reinke, the pastor who supervised the “Overnighters” program. Reinke is a complicated subject, one who is difficult to pin down and changes throughout the course of the film. Though he is taking on this incredible mission, it isn’t always easy to see his motivations as pure. The film isn’t exactly a thriller or a mystery, but the community is so well captured in its complexity that it almost feels like one. Not just one of the best docs of 2014, but one of the best films period.

Stream The Overnighters on Netflix

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain (Ravi Kumar, 2014)
Earth to Echo (Dave Green, 2014)
In Secret (Charlie Stratton, 2013)
Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People (Thomas Allen Harris, 2014)
White Bird in a Blizzard (Gregg Araki, 2014)

Amazon Prime

Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)

The winner of 7 Oscars in 1963, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography (Color), David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia is one of the best examples of the Academy getting it right. While I can’t fully endorse seeing Lawrence of Arabia anywhere but in a movie theater (preferably on film), if you’ve never seen the epic, you can’t spend 216 minutes of your life any better way. Peter O’Toole (who never won an Oscar, for shame), stars as T.E. Lawrence, one of the most enigmatic biographical characters in all of cinema. His journey across African deserts during World War I are gorgeously captured and as breath-taking as ever. It’s great classic epic filmmaking, without the use of technology and special effects filler. Certainly, it’s length and scope takes a commitment, but not without rewards.

Stream Lawrence of Arabia on Amazon Prime

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Bottle Rocket (Wes Anderson, 1996)
Hook (Steven Spielberg, 1991)
Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2013)
In a World… (Lake Bell, 2013)
Nebraksa (Alexander Payne, 2013)

Video On-Demand

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (Isao Takahata, 2013)

Sticking with the Oscar theme, though positively this time. The absence of The LEGO Movie still stings, but not at the expense of Isao Takahata’s masterful work in The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. If you weren’t able to check out this gem from Studio Ghibli, now is the perfect time. Expansive and magical, the film is a unique coming of age tale of a young princess birthed by a bamboo stalk and her reluctance to fit in with feudal Japanese high society. Its beautiful hand-drawn animation is a literal work of art and shows how old-school methods can still find a place in current trends. We just need filmmakers and studios that are willing to put in the work—hopefully Takahata’s work here will help inspire the next generation of animators to continue this legacy.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
All the Wilderness (Michael Johnson, 2014)
The Better Angels (A.J. Edwards, 2014)
Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014)
St. Vincent (Theodore Melfi, 2014)
The Theory of Everything (James Marsh, 2014)

When it comes to VOD and streaming services, none cater to the arthouse, indie crowd (you guys) like Fandor.com. With over 5,000 titles geared toward independent, international, and obscure film lovers, it’s one of the key supporters of today’s independent film market.

Now, the San Francisco-based company (that’s just recently expanded into Canada) has announced a partnership with Cinedigm, Factory 25, and Oscilloscope Labs, expanding their reach into the independent film scene even further. With these independent distributors now onboard, the already impressive film selection on the popular site should become even more tantalizing for film geeks like us.

From recent indie standouts like Amy Seimetz’s (Upstream Color) Sun Don’t Shine, Andrew Bujalski’s Computer Chess, and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s Leviathan (which we absolutely loved); to little-known gems like Velt Helmer’s Absurdistan; to even the old films of Georges Melies, the site has got tons of great finds for the hardcore cinephile to discover.

“Following our expansion into Canada in September, film acquisitions have accelerated accordingly,” says Jonathan Marlow, Fandor co-founder and Chief Content Officer in a recent press release. “Over the last few weeks, we have added many invaluable partnerships to an already exceptional portfolio of distributors, aggregators and individual filmmakers.”

Here’s a selection of films from the website, plus some upcoming releases:

An Oversimplification of Her Beauty (2012) directorTerence Nance [Cinema Guild]

Computer Chess (2013) directorAndrew Bujalski [Kino Lorber]

LocalColor (1977) director Mark Rappaport [courtesy of the filmmaker]

Meet Marlon Brando (1966) directorAlbert Maysles [Maysles Films]

Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time (2001) directorThomas Riedelsheimer [Cinedigm]